Diplomatic StandPoint
Russia has rejected what it described as “unsubstantiated and groundless” accusations by Germany linking Moscow to a drone that crashed at Leipzig Airport on August 5, 2026.
In a statement made available to the Nigerian media, Russia’s Chargé d’Affaires A.I., Igor Ivannikov, said German authorities had failed to provide technical expertise or independent investigative findings to substantiate their position.
Ivannikov said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had explicitly stated that Germany “cannot confirm its conclusion regarding the drone’s Russian origin” and had merely “decided that the drone resembles” those used by the Russian Federation.
According to him, claims based on visual identification of the drone, without disclosure of flight parameters, control frequencies or the wreckage, “do not stand up to scrutiny.”
He further argued that similar equipment is manufactured by various countries and is commercially available, adding that Germany had not requested a joint investigation with Russia.
The Russian diplomat accused Berlin of adopting what he described as a biased approach and lacking genuine interest in establishing the facts surrounding the incident.
“Berlin is once again pursuing course of baseless provocations, repeating the scenario of the ‘Skripal case’,” he said.
Ivannikov also drew attention to the fact that an aircraft transporting munitions to Ukraine had been involved in the incident. He accused Germany of consistently increasing its military support for Ukraine, including supplying weapons which, according to Moscow, are used against civilians and Russian territory.
“These actions directly contradict the proclaimed Berlin’s stated commitment to peace,” he said.
The Russian side also criticised measures reportedly taken by Berlin, including the closure of the Russian Consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural centre, visa restrictions and sanctions.
According to Ivannikov, the measures were “completely unproportional to an unexamined case” and were announced within hours of the incident, before the facts had been verified.
He described the actions as evidence of what he called a “pre-fabricated scenario”, accusing Germany of deliberately seeking confrontation and using what Moscow considers a false pretext to further damage bilateral relations.
“Such actions violate international law and the foundations of diplomatic relations,” he stated.
The Russian diplomat also questioned the coherence of Germany’s position on fighting “hybrid threats” and protecting European security while, according to Moscow, simultaneously increasing military support for the authorities in Kyiv.
He accused the Ukrainian authorities of what the Russian side has described as “radical nationalism, russophobia, and neo-nazi ideology.”
Ivannikov further invoked Germany’s historical responsibility for the tragedies of the 20th century, arguing that Berlin should exercise particular caution in matters relating to support for radical nationalist movements and the glorification of individuals associated with Nazi ideology.
He accused Germany of turning a blind eye to what Moscow described as the resurgence of Nazism in Europe while supplying weapons to those it alleges use terror against their own population.
According to him, Berlin has instead chosen to portray Russia as the primary source of threats to European security while neglecting what Moscow considers Germany’s contribution to the continuing conflict in Ukraine.
“Moscow refutes politically motivated decisions and unsubstantiated accusations and will retaliate to all hostile acts against our country,” Ivannikov declared.
The Russian Embassy expressed hope that Nigerian media organisations would publish its position, noting that it highly values the Nigerian press’s commitment to freedom of speech and pluralism of opinion.
The Embassy said such principles involve providing readers with access to diverse points of view.
IGOR IVANNIKOV
CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES A.I.