Russia’s threat extends beyond Ukraine: UK statement to the OSCE
17 Sep 2026 12:24 PM
UK Senior Military Advisor, Joby Rimmer, condemns Russia’s attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport and its intensified campaign against Ukraine, and calls for a just and lasting peace.
Thank you, Mr Chair.
We also think it is important to start by saying that the United Kingdom stands in full solidarity with Germany following the reckless attack in Leipzig.
The facts are not in dispute. Shortly before midnight on 4 August, a drone carrying a military-grade explosive charge was flown into the secure cargo area at Leipzig/Halle Airport, close to Ukrainian aircraft. It did not detonate. Leipzig/Halle is one of Europe’s largest cargo airports and is used extensively by German and NATO logistics aircraft.
On the 1st September, following a federal investigation, the German Government determined that the Russian State was responsible. That determination rests on intelligence and a police investigation. It is the latest in a clear pattern of attempts by the Russian State to undermine our collective security.
The United Kingdom stands in full solidarity with Germany. We have condemned this reckless attack, and we have summoned the Russian Chargé d’Affaires in London.
This was not an isolated incident. Participating States across this region, including the UK, have described drones over airports and military installations, arson and sabotage. Taken in isolation, each incident is deniable and sits below the threshold at which States would ordinarily respond. Taken together, they have the hallmarks of a deliberate campaign against European security.
Meanwhile, in the more conventional space, the Russian Armed Forces continue to pursue their illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In August, Russia significantly intensified and altered the character of its air campaign.
In August alone, it launched approximately 2,800 jet-powered drones against Ukraine, more than five times the number fired in July. In addition, Russia fired an estimated 170 to 200 ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
These missiles hit food distribution warehouses, railway infrastructure and ports. Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister has said that recent strikes destroyed about 90% of the food logistics capacity operated by the country’s retail chains.
Russia’s attacks are also increasingly affecting humanitarian personnel, supplies and facilities, obstructing the delivery of vital assistance to civilians most in need. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, Russian attacks killed at least 437 civilians and injured a further 2,610 in July alone.
Russia’s actions during and immediately after the US envoys’ visits to Moscow and Kyiv revealed a gulf between its diplomatic presentation and its military conduct.
A largely observed three-day pause targeting Kyiv ended as soon as the envoys departed, as Russia launched a major combined attack involving drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Over the following week, more than 1,030 Russian drones were launched against Ukrainian cities.
Russian air attacks killed at least 50 civilians and injured more than 500. A deadly daytime strike near a shopping centre in Pavlohrad, alongside the attack on a US agricultural facility, forms part of a broader pattern of violence against civilians and civilian economic infrastructure.
Mr Chair, Russia’s conduct is incompatible with any genuine commitment to peace.
Ukraine has agreed to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire. The Kremlin has rejected it, repeated demands that would amount to Ukraine’s surrender and intensified its attacks while that offer has remained on the table. In August, the Russian Foreign Ministry even ruled out a ceasefire in the Black Sea.
The United Kingdom reiterates Ukraine’s call for Russia to agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, beginning from the line of contact, and to engage seriously in negotiations towards a just and lasting peace.
Mr Chair, Russia’s campaign against Ukraine is not only an assault on Ukrainian sovereignty. It is a direct challenge to European security. The wider pattern of disruptive Russian activity across our continent demonstrates that this threat is not confined to Ukraine alone.
The United Kingdom stands with Ukraine and with our partners in responding to this threat.
Thank you, Mr Chair.
Invasion of Ukraine