Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said today, 1 September, that the announcement by the German authorities confirming Russia’s direct involvement in the drone incident at Leipzig Airport on 4 August demonstrates Russia’s increasingly brazen and dangerous actions in Europe. Estonia fully supports all countermeasures taken by Germany.
“German investigators have established that the drones carrying explosives discovered at Leipzig Airport last month were intended to attack a transport aircraft supplying Ukraine, and that the plot can be traced back to the Russian authorities,” Tsahkna said.
“This confirms once again that Russia is prepared to carry out attacks on European soil and far beyond its own borders, even at the risk of casualties. The Leipzig incident forms part of a broader pattern of Russian provocations aimed at intimidating the West and forcing it to withdraw its support for Ukraine. Our response must be precisely the opposite: to increase support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia – and that is exactly what Germany has decided to do.”
“In response to the Leipzig incident, several Russian institutions in Germany will be closed and additional proposals for EU sanctions listings are to be put forward,” Tsahkna said. “Germany’s swift action in identifying those responsible for the drone incident and its concrete countermeasures demonstrate the resolve of NATO Allies to safeguard their own security and maintain pressure on Russia. We fully support Germany’s actions.”
According to Tsahkna, work must also continue towards imposing a Schengen-wide entry ban on former Russian combatants. “These are people with combat experience who may pose a security threat and could provide a suitable recruitment pool for Russian intelligence services seeking to carry out sabotage and other provocations on European soil.”
“NATO remains vigilant, and the Allies are acting together to counter, expose, attribute and deter Russian provocations,” Tsahkna said.
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