Another Putin hybrid attack? Major power plant ‘is hit with home-made explosive rockets’ as Germany blames Russia for airport drone bombs
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A key installation near the Janschwalde lignite-fired power plant in Brandenburg, Germany's largest such site, was struck on 1 September 2026 by what local media described as homemade explosive rockets, damaging power lines and prompting emergency crews to locate and defuse a growing number of improvised explosive and incendiary devices, eventually reaching double figures. Interior Minister Jan Redmann branded the incident an "act of sabotage", and it occurred as Berlin formally moved to blame a Russian intelligence agency for a separate explosive-laden drone found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport on 4 August, with a second suspect drone discovered weeks later. Together the two incidents mark a significant escalation in what Germany, a NATO member and major supporter of Ukraine, regards as a sustained Russian hybrid warfare campaign of sabotage and espionage — allegations Moscow denies.
Police confirmed possible damage to a power line and said bomb disposal experts were at the scene, with plant operator LEAG confirming damage to several lines on the 50Hertz transmission network; officials stressed there was no danger to the public and no power outage resulted. Leipzig Airport plays a strategic role transporting military supplies for Germany, NATO allies and Ukraine's Antonov Airlines. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany had increasingly "found itself in the crosshairs of hybrid attackers" and had earlier warned perpetrators would "pay", with reported potential countermeasures including expelling Russian diplomats and closing Russia's Bonn consulate; debate has also intensified over whether to shut Berlin's Russian House of Science and Culture, which security officials suspect is used as an espionage hub.
- Rockets and bombs hit German power plant near Janschwalde, Brandenburg
- Germany formally blames Russian intelligence for Leipzig Airport drone bombs
- Berlin weighs expelling Russian diplomats amid rising hybrid warfare tensions
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Russia's Baltic and eastern European neighbours, including Germany, have reported a rising number of unexplained incidents in recent months, ranging from drone sightings near airports and military sites to damage at energy infrastructure. Western governments increasingly describe these as "hybrid attacks" – actions designed to cause disruption or gather intelligence while staying below the threshold that would trigger open conflict. Moscow has consistently denied any involvement.
Germany plays a significant role in supporting Ukraine and hosting Nato logistics, which officials say makes it a plausible target for such activity. Chancellor Friedrich Merz leads a government that has taken an increasingly firm stance towards Russia, and any formal accusation from Berlin carries diplomatic weight, potentially affecting relations, security arrangements and the presence of Russian officials and institutions in the country.
Incidents at power stations and airports matter because they touch on both public safety and critical national infrastructure – the systems that keep electricity flowing and transport running. When such sites are targeted, governments must weigh how to respond without escalating tensions further, all while reassuring the public that essential services remain protected.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those who back a robust German response argue that a pattern of sabotage against energy infrastructure and NATO-linked logistics sites cannot be dismissed as coincidence, and that a state facing deniable but escalating attacks has both the right and the duty to protect its critical infrastructure and citizens. On this view, expelling suspected intelligence operatives, closing facilities implicated in espionage, and publicly naming Russia are proportionate, deterrent measures that signal resolve without crossing into open conflict, and hesitating to act risks emboldening further attacks while Germany continues to support Ukraine.
The case against
Others counsel caution, arguing that attributing sabotage to a specific state actor before investigations are complete risks serious diplomatic and security consequences based on incomplete evidence, particularly when incidents like homemade rockets or stray drones could stem from a range of actors, including domestic extremists or criminal groups. From this perspective, measures such as expelling diplomats or shutting cultural institutions should follow rigorous, verified findings rather than political pressure or media narratives, since premature blame can inflame tensions, undermine diplomatic channels, and damage Germany's credibility if the attribution later proves mistaken.
Full account
A power plant near Janschwalde in the eastern German state of Brandenburg was targeted on Monday morning with what local reports described as homemade explosive rockets, in an incident authorities have characterised as sabotage. Police said an installation connected to the coal-fired plant, the largest in Brandenburg, had suffered possible damage to a power line, and bomb disposal teams were sent to the scene after several improvised explosive and incendiary devices were discovered nearby. Officers said the number of devices found had reached double figures and was still climbing as the search continued, though they stopped short of confirming reports that rockets had been fired at the site. Plant operator LEAG confirmed that unidentified perpetrators appeared to have damaged several lines in the 50Hertz transmission network, though officials stressed there was no danger to the public and no resulting power cut.
The attack came on the same day that Berlin moved to formally accuse Russia of responsibility for a separate incident last month, in which an explosive-laden drone was found at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The airport is a significant hub for military logistics, used by the German armed forces and NATO allies, and also serves as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines cargo fleet. German officials had previously spoken only of possible involvement by unnamed "foreign powers", but were reported to be preparing to name a Russian intelligence agency directly, with the Chancellor having already remarked that Germany found itself increasingly in the sights of hybrid attackers.
The Leipzig episode began on the night of 4 August, when a drone carrying explosives was discovered close to Ukrainian cargo aircraft; it did not detonate, apparently because of a faulty trigger mechanism, and a bomb disposal robot was used to make it safe. Investigators believe a second drone may have struck a cargo plane in the vicinity, and a third device, also bearing traces of explosive material, was reportedly recovered near the airport roughly ten days later. At a press conference in Berlin, the interior minister said forensic examination of the equipment, combined with intelligence assessments, had established Russian involvement and followed a well-recognised pattern of Russian hybrid activity across Europe, adding that officials now expected further attempts against Germany.
In response, the foreign minister announced a series of retaliatory measures, including the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and termination of the arrangement covering the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin, which critics have long accused of being used for espionage and propaganda. Germany also pledged tighter entry restrictions for Russian nationals and greater pressure on the ageing tanker fleet Moscow uses to evade Western sanctions, while the Russian ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry. Moscow's foreign ministry spokesperson rejected the accusations and warned of a mirror-image response, accusing Berlin of sponsoring terrorism through its military and economic support for Ukraine. The allegations drew swift solidarity from allies, with NATO's secretary-general and the European Commission president both voicing support for Germany's stance and further EU sanctions, while Britain's prime minister condemned Russian attempts to undermine Western unity behind Ukraine.
Where outlets differ
Only the first source reports the alleged rocket attack on the Janschwalde power plant; the second source does not mention it at all and focuses solely on the diplomatic fallout from the Leipzig drone incident.
The two accounts name different officials as Germany's interior minister — one refers to 'Jan Redmann' commenting on the power plant sabotage, the other to 'Alexander Dobrindt' announcing the Russia findings at the press conference — a discrepancy in the source material.
The second source provides considerably more detail on Germany's retaliatory diplomatic measures (closure of the Bonn consulate, Russian House, entry restrictions, shadow-fleet pressure) and international reaction from NATO, the EU and the UK, none of which appears in the first source.
The first source emphasises uncertainty around the power plant incident, noting police had not confirmed rocket use, while the second source presents the Leipzig findings as definitively attributed by German officials.
Russia's response is quoted only in the second source, via foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.