Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused Germany of seeking another war after Berlin blamed Moscow for a drone incident at Leipzig Airport and announced diplomatic measures against Russia.
Lavrov made the accusation in an interview published on Sunday, September 6, following Germany’s decision to close the Russian consulate in Bonn and terminate an agreement involving the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin.
The dispute followed an August 4 incident in which an explosive-laden drone was discovered inside a secured cargo operations area at Leipzig Airport, near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft.
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Germany subsequently accused Russia of orchestrating what it described as a “hybrid attack” against the country.
Reacting to Berlin’s actions, Lavrov said the developments represented the beginning of a serious confrontation between the two countries.
“This is, by and large, the start of a real war,” the Russian foreign minister said, accusing Germany of wanting war again.
Lavrov also compared Germany’s current stance with the period preceding the Second World War and accused Berlin of displaying Nazi-era tendencies.
He warned that the Russian leadership would draw what he described as the “appropriate conclusions” from Germany’s actions.
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Germany blames Russia
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on September 1 that an investigation into the Leipzig incident had led the government to conclude that Russia was responsible.
According to Dobrindt, the drone contained components, explosives and ignition systems similar to those previously identified in what Germany described as Russian hybrid operations linked to the war in Ukraine.
He said the Leipzig incident should not be viewed as an isolated event, arguing that Germany had become a potential target for further hybrid attacks.
“We are not at war, but we are a daily target of hybrid warfare,” Dobrindt said.
Germany responded by closing the Russian consulate in Bonn and ending the contract for the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin.
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EU considers further action
The incident has also triggered concern within the European Union.
On September 2, EU member states summoned Russian diplomatic representatives and discussed the possibility of imposing additional sanctions over the incident.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the alleged attack as having the characteristics of “state-sponsored terrorism” and called for discussions on an appropriate response.
The latest accusations have further strained relations between Russia and Germany, with both sides trading increasingly serious allegations amid heightened tensions between Moscow and European governments over the war in Ukraine.
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