Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused Germany of seeking another war with Moscow, rejecting Berlin’s claim that Russia was behind a suspected drone attack at Halle Airport.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday accused Germany of seeking another war with Moscow, rejecting Berlin’s allegation that Russia was behind a suspected drone attack at Halle Airport.

The dispute escalated after Germany on September 1 said an investigation had linked Moscow to an August 4 incident in which an explosive-laden drone was discovered in a secured cargo area near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft.

Berlin accuses Moscow of ‘hybrid’ attack

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the government had concluded that Russia was responsible for what he described as a “hybrid attack” in Leipzig.

Dobrindt said investigators had examined the drone’s technology and intelligence gathered during the probe. He claimed its configuration, including components, explosives and ignition systems, resembled those used in other Russian hybrid operations linked to the war in Ukraine.

“We do not view the Leipzig incident in isolation,” Dobrindt said, warning that Germany could be targeted by further hybrid attacks.

He added that although Germany was “not at war”, it was facing hybrid warfare on a daily basis.

Germany announces measures against Russia

Following the accusation, Berlin announced diplomatic measures against Moscow, including the closure of Russia’s consulate general in Bonn and a Russian cultural centre in Berlin.

Lavrov hit back at Germany, accusing it of taking steps that could fuel a broader confrontation and suggesting that Berlin was seeking another war.

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The incident also triggered a response from the European Union. EU member states summoned Russian diplomatic representatives on September 2 and discussed possible additional sanctions over the alleged attack.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the incident as bearing the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism and called for a response.

The allegations come as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues, with the conflict having become Europe’s largest military confrontation in decades. Lavrov’s remarks also came ahead of Russia’s tightly controlled parliamentary elections scheduled for later this month.