Russia’s Lavrov Calls Accusations of Moscow’s Involvement in Leipzig Drone Incident ‘Start of Real War'

By Reuters Sep. 6, 2026 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Kremlin.ru Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday that the accusations levelled at Moscow by the West that it was involved in the drone incident at Germany's Leipzig airport were, "by and large, the start of a real war," state news agency TASS reported. "All these statements by Merz about making Germany the leading military power in Europe once again — they are being put into practice. He is, in effect, declaring war on us," Lavrov said, referring to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The German government said on Sept. 1 that it had concluded that Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month and ordered a series of measures in response, including the closure of a consulate and a Russian cultural centre in Berlin. Russia dismissed the German accusations as baseless, accusing Berlin of planting evidence to frame Russia for the attack. Read more about: Germany , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Dutch and German Intelligence Say Russia Increasingly Uses Chemical Weapons in Ukraine The Dutch and German agencies said Russia’s military is “supporting” and “actively facilitating” the use of banned agents on the battlefield... 2 Min read Merz Says Germany, Ukraine to Jointly Produce Long-Range Weapons When asked about Merz's weapons announcement, the Kremlin said: "All these actions naturally hinder peace efforts." 3 Min read Germany Says Russia Has Hours to Abide by Ceasefire or Face Sanctions "The clock is ticking," a German government spokesperson said at a news conference on Monday. 2 Min read Germany’s Scholz Says He Plans to Speak With Putin About Ukraine War ‘Soon’ Olaf Scholz’s remarks come amid reports that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump warned Putin last week against ‘escalating’ the conflict. 1 Min read