Media reveal information about Russian who may have organised sabotage at Leipzig airport

Russian biker Oleg Lyovushkin, who is linked to a Russian military intelligence officer, may have organised an attempted sabotage at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany.

Source: a joint investigation by The Telegraph and Welt am Sonntag, as reported by European Pravda

Details: According to the investigation, Lyovushkin presumably organised the attempt to plant explosives at the airport. German investigators believe that Belarusian intermediary agent Andrei Karshakov was supposed to carry out the plan.

Journalists analysed intelligence documents from Germany, Lithuania, and Poland, and also spoke with representatives of Western secret services. According to their data, Lyovushkin and Karshakov arrived in Germany to carry out the sabotage operation.

German investigators suspect that Lyovushkin conducted reconnaissance of the airport shortly before the attack, after which he instructed Karshakov to execute the plan.

Investigators also found similarities between the incident in Leipzig and other attempted Russian sabotage operations in Poland, Lithuania, and Germany.

Specifically, the explosive device seized in Leipzig was reportedly similar to devices used in other sabotage operations in Europe.

Lyovushkin, who holds a Russian passport and is an avid motorcyclist, is also linked to Denis Smolyaninov, a man Western secret services consider to be one of the coordinators of Russian sabotage operations in Europe.

According to Lithuanian intelligence, Smolyaninov headed the Ukrainian desk in Russian military intelligence and specialised in psychological operations, among other things. Documents also link him to secret sabotage campaigns in Europe.

It is noted that Lyovushkin and Smolyaninov met back in 2007. Reportedly, they have kin repeated contact over the many years.

German security agencies link the Leipzig attack to GRU Unit 29155, which, according to German intelligence assessments, plays a key role in Russian sabotage operations in Europe.

German security agencies assess that the goal of such operations could be to create a sense of insecurity among European society due to its support for Ukraine and to influence the debate on further assistance to Kyiv.

Lyovushkin himself publicly leads an inconspicuous life. He takes part in motorcycle races, travels around Europe, fishes, and skis with his family.

At the same time, journalists claim that this lifestyle may conceal his involvement in Russian sabotage operations in Central Europe.

According to German intelligence, he travelled to Germany via Türkiye this summer to prepare an attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport. Investigators stated that Lyovushkin rented a car at Berlin airport a week before the attack and over the next few days drove it to several locations where weapons were suspected of being stored.

They believe that the explosives used in the operation were transported to Germany via Bulgaria and Serbia, hidden in the cavities of trucks, and were likely temporarily stored along the route.

The journalists say that Lyovushkin's links to the GRU were known at the time he entered the country. However, he was not placed under surveillance upon his arrival.

Background:

• On 1 September, Germany directly accused Russia of a hybrid attack at Leipzig airport in early August and announced countermeasures.
• On 6 September, it was reported that German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was planning a set of measures to cover protection against drones, sabotage of critical infrastructure, and cyberattacks, as well as the detection of spies and potential terrorists.

Subscribe on Patreon to back our journalism long-term.