Lavrov Warns of Real War Following German Accusations Over Leipzig Drone Incident

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Sunday that accusations from the West regarding Moscow's involvement in a drone incident at the Leipzig airport signify the beginning of a real war. Lavrov specifically referenced German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, claiming that Merz's goal to make Germany a leading military power in Europe is being put into practice and constitutes a factual declaration of war. These comments follow a September 1 announcement by the German government stating that Russia is responsible for a drone attack attempt at the Leipzig airport in August. The incident involved a medium sized drone filled with explosives that landed next to a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane. The airport is considered strategic due to the volume of weapons shipments transported from there to Ukraine.

Chancellor Merz described the attribution of the attack to Russia as clear, undeniable, and legally sound. In response to the incident, Germany has implemented several diplomatic measures: the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn, the closure of the Russian House cultural center in Berlin, and stricter entry controls for Russian citizens. The German ambassador in Berlin was also summoned. Russia has dismissed the accusations as baseless and has accused Berlin of forging evidence. While center and center left sources report these events as a diplomatic escalation and a response to hybrid warfare, a center left source explicitly frames the situation within the broader context of a hybrid war involving disinformation and assassinations orchestrated by Russia.