A Russian national with connections to a senior Moscow sabotage coordinator is suspected to have orchestrated a failed bomb attack at Germany’s Leipzig-Halle airport in September, according to intelligence officials from several European countries. The incident involved a drone carrying explosives that struck the wing of a Ukrainian cargo plane, raising concerns about Moscow’s intent to target European infrastructure supporting Ukraine amid escalating tensions with NATO.
German, Lithuanian, and Polish intelligence agencies, as well as Western officials, have identified Oleg Levushkin as the alleged mastermind behind the plot. Levushkin, who holds a Russian passport and is known for his affinity for motorcycling, reportedly traveled to Germany with a Belarusian proxy agent, Andrei Karshakou, who is believed to have carried out the drone attack. Investigators say Levushkin planned the operation and arranged for explosives, which appeared similar to devices seized from other Russian-linked sabotage attempts in Europe.
German authorities tracked Levushkin’s movements through location data from a rental car he used, placing him near Leipzig-Halle Airport multiple times beginning at the end of July. On September 5, a drone loaded with approximately 1.8 kilograms of Semtex explosives struck a parked Antonov An-124 cargo plane operated by Ukraine but failed to detonate. Officials believe the explosive material was smuggled into Germany via Bulgaria and Serbia and stored along the transit route before the attack.
Levushkin reportedly maintains longstanding contact with Denis Smolyaninov, who leads the Ukraine division within Russia’s military intelligence service, the GRU, and is known to coordinate covert sabotage operations across Europe. Smolyaninov was sanctioned last year by the UK Foreign Office for his alleged role in orchestrating bomb attacks. Lithuanian intelligence documents reviewed by investigators describe Smolyaninov as specializing in psychological operations and coordinating sabotage efforts through social media platforms.
German security sources have expressed growing concern about Russia using the country as a “theatre” for intelligence and sabotage activities, noting an increase from isolated incidents to widespread covert operations. Officials suggest that Moscow aims to create fear and uncertainty among European populations to weaken support for Ukraine.
A senior NATO official linked the rise in sabotage activity to Moscow’s perception of mounting pressure from the West and Kyiv’s allies, describing Russia’s response as an escalation of its hybrid warfare tactics.
The Russian embassy in Berlin dismissed the allegations, condemning them as unfounded and part of a “new wave of anti-Russian hysteria” in Europe. German authorities continue to investigate the scope of the network behind the plot and its connections to broader Russian intelligence operations across the continent.