Germany Prepares to Formally Blame Russia for Leipzig Airport Drone Attack and Impose New Sanctions Alongside EU Package

Chancellor Friedrich Merz is preparing to formally blame Russia for the August 4 explosive-laden drone found at Leipzig/Halle Airport, which was aimed at a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane also used to transport military equipment and which U.S. intelligence assessed on August 26 was likely produced by Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, and to announce "extensive" sanctions, according to a Politico report citing three officials familiar with the matter 1. The announcement is expected early next week, possibly timed to an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Ireland on Tuesday, though officials said Merz could act sooner 12. One official told Politico that expelling individual Russian diplomats or closing the Russian House in Berlin would no longer suffice, and that Berlin is weighing intensified sanctions or expanded arms deliveries to Ukraine 13. EU diplomats said Brussels is reviewing roughly 1,600 sanctions listings, including 800 individuals and 800 companies, with adoption expected by mid-October, and one diplomat said the potential use of frozen Russian central bank assets is again under discussion 1. A German government spokesperson said only that official attribution would follow "weighing all the results of the investigation," and Moscow has denied involvement 13.