The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has rejected what it described as “unsubstantiated and groundless” allegations by Germany linking Russia to a drone that crashed at Leipzig Airport on August 5, 2026.
In a statement dated September 3 and signed by Igor Ivannikov, Charge d’Affaires of the Russian Federation in Nigeria, the embassy said Germany had failed to provide technical evidence or independent investigative findings proving that the drone originated from Russia.
The embassy said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had noted that Germany itself “cannot confirm its conclusion regarding the drone’s Russian origin” and had only determined that the aircraft “resembles” drones used by Russia.
According to Moscow, claims based solely on visual identification are insufficient, particularly in the absence of publicly disclosed information on the drone’s flight parameters, control frequencies and wreckage.
“Similar equipment is manufactured by various countries and is available on the market,” the embassy said, adding that Germany had not requested a joint investigation with Russia.
The Russian side accused Berlin of adopting a biased approach and said the measures reportedly taken following the incident, including the closure of the Russian Consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural centre, visa restrictions and sanctions, were disproportionate.
The embassy further alleged that the measures were announced within hours of the incident, before the facts had been fully established, describing the development as part of what it called a “pre-fabricated scenario” aimed at worsening relations between Russia and Germany.
Moscow also criticised Germany’s military support for Ukraine, accusing Berlin of supplying weapons that are being used against civilians and against Russian territory.
The statement drew a parallel with the previous “Skripal case”, accusing Germany of pursuing what Russia described as a pattern of baseless accusations and provocations against Moscow.
The embassy also questioned Germany’s stated commitment to combating “hybrid threats” and protecting European security while continuing to increase military assistance to Ukraine.
It accused Berlin of overlooking what Russia described as the resurgence of “radical nationalism” and “neo-Nazi ideology” in Ukraine, while portraying Russia as the main threat to European security.
The Russian Embassy said Moscow rejected the accusations as politically motivated and warned that it would retaliate against what it described as hostile actions by Germany.