Germany “wants war again”, the Russian foreign minister said in an interview published Sunday, dismissing Berlin’s accusation that Russia was to blame for a drone attack on Leipzig airport.
The German government blamed Moscow for the incident, saying Russia sent “low-level agents” for an attempted “hybrid attack” involving an explosive-laden drone at the strategic airport in eastern Germany.
Moscow and Berlin closed each other’s cultural centres this week, with EU countries summoning Russian envoys.
“This is, by and large, the start of a real war. They expelled the consulate general from Bonn. They’re closing the Russian House (cultural centre) in Berlin. I remember that before the start of the Second World War… They want war again,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a state TV reporter.
He accused Germany of Nazism and said: “The Russian leadership will draw the appropriate conclusions.”
Part of the interview was published by Russia’s Vesti TV channel.
Germany is one of Ukraine’s main allies in the war against Russia.
Lavrov, the longest-serving Russian minister, spoke as Moscow’s offensive — Europe’s worst conflict since World War II — has dragged on for more than four-and-a-half years.
He also spoke ahead of tightly controlled parliamentary elections in Russia later this month.
