Lavrov: Germany's decisions towards Russia are the beginning of war
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov harshly criticized Germany's decision to close Russian diplomatic missions.
Quick Look
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov described Germany's closure of Russian diplomatic missions, citing the UAV incident at Leipzig-Halle Airport, as the "beginning of the war" and argued that Germany did not learn from history.
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Why It Matters
Germany took sanctions decisions, claiming that an explosive-laden UAV found at Leipzig-Halle Airport on August 4 was linked to Russia.
Speaking to the Russian State Television and Radio Corporation (VGTRK), Lavrov evaluated Germany's approach towards Russia.
Reminding that Germany took decisions against Russia last week, citing the presence of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at Leipzig-Halle Airport, Lavrov pointed out that these decisions included the closure of Russia's Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin.
Lavrov continued:
"They (the Germans) found a UAV and reported that it belonged to Russia. Nobody investigated the truth of the matter. This is actually the beginning of a real war. I remember that the Germans closed their diplomatic missions before the Second World War. This is absolutely unacceptable. They want war again."
Minister Lavrov emphasized that Germany did not learn from its history.
WHAT HAPPENED?
A UAV, thought to contain an explosive device, was found near a Ukrainian transport plane at Leipzig-Halle Airport in Germany on August 4.
US intelligence claimed that the features of the explosive-laden UAV found were "specific" to Russian military intelligence.
The German government announced a series of measures on September 1, stating that the findings obtained in the investigation into the incident showed Russia responsible.
According to the decision, Russia's Consulate General in Bonn will be closed as of September 18, the contract for the Russian House in Berlin will be terminated, entry controls for Russian citizens will be tightened and the pressure on Russia's so-called shadow fleet will be increased.
Open Questions
- What will Russia's counter-sanctions be?
- What is the concrete evidence for the origin of the UAV?
