Germany blames Russia for Leipzig plane sabotage attempt, expels diplomats, and restricts visas
The German government has officially blamed Russia for an attempted act of sabotage against a Ukrainian An-124 cargo plane at the Leipzig airport. Berlin’s position was presented at a news conference by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.
Dobrindt said the findings of the police investigation, the “characteristic features” of the incident, and intelligence reporting “clearly point to Russia’s involvement in hybrid operations that were planned, that were carried out, and that were also thwarted.”
Wadephul laid out the retaliatory measures: Germany will close Russia’s consulate general in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin. Russia’s ambassador will be summoned to the German Foreign Ministry. German authorities will also tighten controls on the entry of Russian citizens into the country. Exactly how has not yet been specified.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for her part, said that the EU “stands in full solidarity with Germany in the face of this attack by Russia.” She said she would take the matter up with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and she said the foreign ministers of EU countries would begin preparing additional sanctions.
Rutte himself said that “the evidence is clear.” “I welcome the measures announced by Germany in response,” he said. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Latvia’s Foreign Ministry, and officials from other EU countries also expressed solidarity with Berlin’s actions and a readiness to continue supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the German government’s moves. “They made up a pretext. And Berlin itself is thoroughly tainted both by inflaming the Ukrainian conflict and by taking part in terrorist attacks against civilians,” she said. Zakharova also said the Russian House had “long been a thorn in the side” of the German authorities, and she said Russia would “respond” to the decision to close it.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Germany was “moving further down the path of escalation.” “It’s hard to comment on this, because if accusations this serious are being made, they have to be backed up by something. If I’m not mistaken, no supporting argument was presented,” Peskov told reporters.
A drone with explosives attached to it was found at the Leipzig airport overnight on August 5. The drone was next to a Ukrainian An-124 transport plane that was carrying ammunition. It later emerged that there were several drones — another was found 10 days later, west of the airport, and a third, according to media reports, may have struck the cargo plane, though no trace of that drone was ever found.
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