Following new findings regarding the thwarted drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport, calls for a tougher approach toward Russia are growing within the German Bundestag. Politicians from the Green Party and the Social Democrats (SPD) are pushing for decisive consequences, even as criticism mounts against German security agencies, according to reporting by “Die Welt”.
These renewed demands stem from investigations published by “Welt am Sonntag”, which suggest that the attack can be more clearly attributed to the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU, than had been previously established. According to the newspaper, one of the suspected main perpetrators is linked to the GRU network, and this individual was known to investigators when entering Germany. Despite this information, the person was reportedly not monitored or observed.
Clara Bünger, a security expert from the Left Party, strongly criticized this lapse. Speaking to “Die Welt”, she argued that before discussing further escalations, the focus should be on why existing capabilities were evidently not utilized to observe the suspect and prevent potential actions. She emphasized the urgent need for a clear situational assessment and effective protection of critical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Agnieszka Brugger, Deputy Chair of the Green Party parliamentary group, called for a resolute response to attempts by Russia to engage in sabotage and intimidation. She asserted that anyone who attacks or threatens Germany should genuinely believe that this will ultimately come at a high price for themselves. Referring to recent Russian drone attacks near the Polish-Ukrainian border, Brugger described these as a “further conscious and ruthless threat.”
Sebastian Fiedler, the SPD parliamentary spokesperson on domestic policy, also demanded consequences. He stressed that “Putin must understand that it will be expensive for him to attack us.” Consequently, Fiedler emphasized the critical importance of a coordinated European approach against Russia’s shadow fleet. Concurrently, he cautioned against falling for Russian disinformation strategies, noting that the Moscow regime regularly attempts to frame Western defensive measures as acts of provocation.
Fiedler also directed criticism toward the Alternative for Germany (AfD). He alleged that the party was once again acting as a mouthpiece for the Kremlin. The AfD denied this accusation and instead demanded greater transparency from the Federal Government. Markus Frohnmaier, the AfD parliamentary spokesman for foreign policy, countered that the government was operating with double standards toward Russia and had yet to publicly present concrete evidence.
