Lavrov calls Germany's response to Leipzig drone incident 'start of a real war'

September 6, 2026 at 09:08 PM2 min

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Germany's response to the attempted drone sabotage at Leipzig Airport as 'the beginning of a real war.' His comments came on Sunday, September 6, in the program 'Vesti.' Germany had expelled the Russian consulate from Bonn and announced the closure of the Russian House in Berlin.

Key Facts

The attempted drone sabotage at Leipzig Airport occurred on August 4 against a Ukrainian cargo aircraft An-124.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the conclusion about Russia's responsibility was based on studying drone settings and components used in other hybrid incidents.
Investigators identified two suspects in the Leipzig drone sabotage case on September 2, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, and WDR.
One suspect is a Russian-born Latvian citizen, and the other is a Belarusian-born Russian citizen.

Lavrov's Reaction

Lavrov said Germany expelled the consulate general from Bonn and announced the termination of the agreement. He claimed that Germany said it was a Russian drone and no one investigated further. Lavrov made the comments on the program 'Vesti' on Sunday, September 6.

German Investigation

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the conclusion about Russia's responsibility was based on studying drone settings and certain components used in other hybrid incidents. CDU/CSU foreign policy expert Jürgen Hardt said that when Russia, as the accused party, does not cooperate, a convincing chain of facts leaving no reasonable doubt is sufficient. Investigators identified two suspects on September 2, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, and WDR.

Drone Sabotage Details

The attempted sabotage at Leipzig Airport occurred on August 4 against a Ukrainian cargo aircraft An-124. One drone with explosives was found near several Ukrainian cargo planes, and a second likely crashed into a DHL cargo plane minutes after the first was discovered. The two suspects are a Russian-born Latvian citizen and a Belarusian-born Russian citizen.