Finland summons Russian envoy over drone incident at German airport

Finland on Wednesday summoned the Russian Ambassador to Helsinki over the drone incident at Leipzig airport in Germany, said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

“Finland has today (Wednesday) summoned Russia’s ambassador. We strongly condemn Russia's irresponsible and dangerous activity relating to the drone incident in Germany's Leipzig-Halle airport, declared by the German government yesterday (Tuesday). There will be clear and resolute response to Russia,” the ministry said in a post on its social media platform X.

Earlier on Tuesday, President Alexander Stubb expressed solidarity with its ally Germany after the Russian hybrid attack in Leipzig.

“We know the Russian playbook. It attempts to intimidate us, to undermine our resolve and our willingness to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. It will not succeed,” Stubb wrote in a post on his X.

“We will stand united and deter anyone from attacking our freedom and security. As the strong measures announced by the German government show, any action against any one of us will be met with a clear response,” said the President, adding that he continued to be in close touch with German Chancellor Merz and other Allies.

A drone fitted with explosives and a detonation mechanism was discovered on the evening of August 4 in the security zone of Leipzig/Halle Airport, between Ukrainian cargo aircraft, prompting a temporary halt to flights, reported dpa on Tuesday.

A short time later, a second unidentified flying object collided with a DHL cargo aircraft that had been unable to land due to the runway closure and was forced to abort its landing.

German federal prosecutors, who are investigating the incident, have described it as a "serious attack on Germany's transport and logistics infrastructure."

The German government believes Russia was behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport, German media reported, amid growing expectations that Berlin is preparing to formally attribute the incident to Moscow.

German authorities assume that a Russian intelligence service was responsible for the explosives-laden drone that was found near Ukrainian cargo aircraft at the airport in eastern Germany, the Spiegel news magazine and the Bild tabloid reported, said dpa.