Germany denies the presence of ammunition on the Ukrainian An-124 in Leipzig

The German authorities refute media reports about ammunition on the Ukrainian An-124

According to Рубрика — Політика: The German Ministry of the Interior has denied media publications about the presence of ammunition on board the Ukrainian aircraft of the Antonov company in Leipzig, near which a drone was discovered. Earlier, publications WDR, NDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung, citing a confidential police report, claimed that there were ammunition on board the Ukrainian An-124 that had been delivered from France to Leipzig. At a meeting of the Bundestag committee chairs with members of the internal affairs and defense committees, it was clarified that there were no ammunition on board the aircraft.

The incident occurred on the night of August 5 when on August 4 at 19:28 employees of Leipzig Airport noticed a drone hovering between two An-124 aircraft of the Ukrainian airline. According to investigation documents, there was contact between the drone and an airport employee. However, the drone detection system at the airport failed to detect the drone until it was spotted. Surveillance cameras recorded that the drone entered the airport territory from the southern side and landed on the aircraft parking area.

Statement regarding the absence of ammunition

The head of the Internal Affairs Committee of Germany, Detlef Seif, stated that discussions indicated the absence of ammunition or weapons on the aircraft:

"The aircraft was not loaded with ammunition or weapons" - Detlef Seif

On the night of the incident, operations at Leipzig Airport were suspended due to the detection of a drone near the Ukrainian transport aircraft. That same night, a cargo plane that was unable to land due to the airport's closure collided with another object at an altitude of several hundred meters.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that there were no casualties due to the drone incident and that the aircraft of the Ukrainian company suffered no damage. The German authorities continue the investigation of this incident.

The data regarding the drone incident emphasizes the importance of safety at airports, especially in the context of international transport and military cargo. The absence of ammunition on board the aircraft, according to the German authorities' refutation, may alleviate some concerns, but the incident highlights the need for improvement in the drone detection system. Further investigations may provide more information about the reasons for the appearance of drones in areas under airport control.