Germany probes fence breach at Leipzig/Halle airport near grounded Russian planes

German police are probing an overnight incident at the Leipzig/Halle airport where a vehicle likely crashed through a section of the perimeter fence. A police spokesman told the DPA news agency that the breach was discovered late on Saturday evening, with investigators assessing the damage as being caused by a vehicle breaking through the barrier.

The damaged section of the fence was located in close proximity to three Russian Antonov cargo planes that have been grounded at the facility since 2022 due to EU sanctions against Moscow. Authorities conducted a search of the area following the incident but did not discover any unauthorized individuals on the premises, though search measures are set to continue throughout the day.

The security operation resulted in the temporary closure of one of the airport's two available runways, although air traffic was otherwise unaffected according to an airport spokesman. This incident follows a separate event in August when an explosives-laden drone was discovered near Ukrainian cargo planes at the same facility, an occurrence German officials blamed on Russia, which has denied involvement.