Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said accusations against Russia over the drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport marked “the beginning of a real war.”
Lavrov said a drone had been found at the airport and that it had been alleged to belong to Russia without the incident being adequately investigated. The Russian foreign minister said this approach largely amounted to the beginning of a real war.
Germany held Russia responsible
The German government held Russia responsible for the drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport on September 1 and announced countermeasures.
Russia’s Embassy in Berlin described the incident as a hastily staged provocation. The embassy said the incident served the objectives of Kyiv and the militarist wing of European politics.
Decisions targeting Russian diplomatic missions
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced that the government had decided to terminate the agreement governing the activities of the Russian House in Berlin because of the incident. Germany will also close Russia’s Consulate General in Bonn as of September 18.
German authorities will also tighten checks on Russian citizens entering the country. Lavrov compared the closure of the consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin to Berlin’s closure of diplomatic missions before World War II.