Russia rejects Germany’s claims over Leipzig Airport drone incident

ABUJA — The Russian Federation has rejected allegations linking it to a drone incident at Leipzig Airport in Germany, describing the claims as “unsubstantiated and groundless” and accusing Berlin of acting without sufficient technical or investigative evidence.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Nigeria stated this in a communication dated September 3, 2026, addressed to chief editors of leading Nigerian newspapers. The statement was signed by the embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, Igor Ivannikov.

The embassy was reacting to reports concerning a drone that crashed at Leipzig Airport on August 5, 2026, which German authorities suspected of belonging to Russia.

According to the Russian statement, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Germany could not confirm that the drone was of Russian origin but had concluded that it resembled drones used by the Russian Federation.

Moscow argued that the German side had not presented technical expertise or findings from an independent investigation to substantiate the allegation.

It said visual identification alone was insufficient to establish the drone’s origin without information such as its flight parameters, control frequencies and examination of the wreckage.

The statement further argued that similar equipment was manufactured by different countries and was commercially available, adding that Germany had not sought a joint investigation with Russia.

Russia also criticised measures reportedly taken by Berlin following the incident, including the closure of the Russian Consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural centre as well as visa restrictions and sanctions.

It described the measures as disproportionate, claiming that they were announced within hours of the incident and before the facts had been fully verified.

Moscow further accused Germany of deliberately pursuing confrontation and worsening bilateral relations, while questioning Berlin’s increased military support for Ukraine.

The statement linked the latest dispute to the broader tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war, accusing Germany of supplying weapons to Kyiv while presenting itself as committed to peace.

Russia also criticised Germany’s approach to what Berlin describes as “hybrid threats” to European security, arguing that the German government was portraying Moscow as the principal threat to Europe while overlooking its own role in the conflict.

The Russian government consequently rejected what it described as politically motivated decisions and unsubstantiated allegations against the country.

“Moscow refutes politically motivated decisions and unsubstantiated accusations and will retaliate to all hostile acts against our country,” the statement said.

The embassy said it had approached Nigerian newspapers to ensure that readers had access to Russia’s position on the controversy, stressing the importance of freedom of speech, pluralism of opinion and access to diverse viewpoints.