On the night of 30 October, a fire broke out at the construction site of the future drone testing centre of the German defence group Rheinmetall. Police are investigating suspected arson.
According to police, at around 03:15 on Friday a witness alerted the emergency services to the fire. The blaze destroyed three construction machines, and other vehicles nearby were also damaged.
The fire was extinguished. The criminal police are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident and examining the possibility of deliberate arson.
Because of the suspected deliberate arson, the case was handed over to the North Hesse State Security unit (Staatsschutz) within the State Criminal Police Office.
At Kassel-Calden Airport, Rheinmetall plans to build a logistics and training centre, as well as a drone testing centre.
Incident in Leipzig
Berlin has officially accused Moscow over an incident on 4 August, when three explosive-laden drones were found near Leipzig/Halle Airport. Germany announced diplomatic measures in response and plans to push for new EU sanctions. Russia denies any involvement.
The first drone was found near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft. According to investigators, the drone was fitted with explosives and may have been intended to attack the aircraft. However, its detonator apparently failed to go off.
Another drone, according to the preliminary version, may have collided with a DHL cargo aircraft. Because the airport was closed, the plane was forced to go around. However, investigators are now increasingly doubting that the damage to the aircraft was actually caused by a drone.
On 14 August, German investigators found a third drone that was likely linked to the failed attempt to attack Leipzig/Halle Airport. Traces of a military explosive were found nearby.
US intelligence linked the drone at the German airfield in Leipzig to Russia’s GRU.