Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has rejected Germany’s accusations against Russia over an alleged attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport, saying Berlin’s actions amount to effectively declaring war on Moscow and show that no lessons have been learned from history.
In an interview with a Russian news agency, Lavrov said no one had made a serious effort to investigate who was actually behind the drone found at Leipzig Airport.
He described the measures taken after blaming Russia as effectively marking the beginning of a “real war.”
Referring to Germany’s decision to close the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin, Lavrov said Germany had also closed diplomatic missions before the outbreak of the Second World War.
The Russian foreign minister described such actions as unacceptable, saying no lessons had been learned from history and accusing Germany of wanting war again.
Lavrov also described as a dangerous trend German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statement that his government aimed to build Europe’s strongest military.
He said he believed the Russian leadership would draw appropriate conclusions from Germany’s actions and statements.
The dispute follows an incident on August 4, when a drone allegedly carrying explosives was found in a security zone at Leipzig Airport. The drone was reportedly located near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft that is also used to transport military supplies to Ukraine.
On September 1, Germany formally blamed Russia for the alleged failed drone attack and announced a series of measures against Moscow.
The measures included the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian cultural centre in Berlin. Germany also ordered its personnel stationed in Russia and their families to leave the country as soon as possible.
