Diplomatic tensions: Sergei Lavrov accuses Berlin of wanting war “again”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov did not mince his words: he accused Berlin of wanting war “again” against Russia, in a climate of high tensions. Germany accuses Moscow of having sent a drone loaded with explosives to Leipzig airport at the beginning of August.

“They found a drone. They decided it was a Russian drone, without anyone trying to dig. Ultimately, this is the start of a real war,” responded Sergei Lavrov, quoted on Sunday by Russian news agencies. Berlin announced on Tuesday the closure of the last Russian consulate on its territory, on September 18, and of the Russian cultural center in Berlin, also called “Russian House”.

The announcement came after Germany officially accused Russia of sending a drone loaded with explosives in early August to Leipzig airport, a key military hub for the German army and NATO. “Before the start of the Second World War, the Great Patriotic War, the Germans also closed their diplomatic missions… They want war again,” commented Sergei Lavrov.

The head of Russian diplomacy also attacked Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “He is basically heading towards a declaration of war against us. The lessons of history have not been learned. And it seems like all these metastases of Nazism are starting to spread,” he said. “It’s a dangerous phenomenon. And it seems to me that the Russian government will draw the appropriate conclusions,” he added.

In return, Russia announced this week the upcoming closure of the Goethe Institute on its territory and summoned the German charge d'affaires in Moscow, denouncing the "anti-Russian actions and declarations of the German authorities." Russian President Vladimir Putin described the measures taken by the German authorities against Russia as “another gross error”.