The Italian Foreign Ministry Explained How The Suspect In The Sabotage Plot Was Able To Obtain A Visa In Minsk
6- 3.09.2026, 9:43
- 3,054
An investigation will be conducted.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani promised to investigate whether one of the suspects in the sabotage at Leipzig/Halle Airport entered the Schengen Area on an Italian tourist visa issued in Minsk, reports Euractiv.
“An investigation will be conducted to verify the facts,” Tajani said.
At the same time, the minister linked the incident to a broader threat of subversive activities against the European Union.
“All of this, however, confirms that there are attempts by certain states to carry out actions against the EU, including by using people who may not have criminal records and are not under suspicion. “When I say that we must remain vigilant, I say this for good reason, because I know what methods they use. I know what tools these countries have always used, including in the past, and that is why we must continue to be vigilant,” he stated.
Meanwhile, in a comment to *Die Zeit*, Tajani noted that the document is issued if the applicant meets the requirements and there are no red flags regarding them in the relevant databases.
As a reminder, German media previously reported on two suspects in the sabotage at Leipzig/Halle Airport. One of them is reportedly a Belarusian holding a Russian passport. He allegedly obtained an Italian tourist visa in Minsk in late April and used it to enter the Schengen Area. The second suspect holds a Russian passport in addition to a Latvian one.
It should be noted that experts describe the Italian Embassy in Minsk as the “most generous” when it comes to issuing tourist visas to Belarusians.
The head of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas stated that EU foreign ministers generally supported a ban on entry into the EU for Russians who participated in the war against Ukraine, and stricter visa restrictions for Russian tourists.
Drone Incidents at a German Airport
As a reminder, German authorities had previously blamed Russia for drone incidents at the Leipzig/Halle Airport. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that the characteristics of the drone found are consistent with the pattern of Russian “hybrid operations” in Europe.
According to media reports, one of the two suspects is a Belarusian who entered the EU on an Italian tourist visa.
As a retaliatory measure, Germany decided to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn starting September 18, suspend operations of the “Russian House” in Berlin, and tighten entry requirements for Russian citizens. Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechaev was summoned to the German Foreign Ministry and handed a note of protest. Moscow rejected the accusations.
The first drone carrying explosives was discovered at Leipzig Airport late in the evening on August 4 near a Ukrainian An-24 cargo plane. According to the investigation, the drone was intended to attack the aircraft, which is used to transport military cargo; however, the explosive device failed to detonate—presumably due to a malfunction in the detonator. U.S. intelligence stated that the drone belonged to Russian intelligence services.
A second drone was found on the evening of August 14 in a field in Kabelsketal in the state of Saxony-Anhalt—this area is adjacent to the western part of Leipzig Airport. Forensic investigators also discovered approximately 50 grams of explosive material there.
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