Lavrov calls German drone accusations 'real war' as Berlin unveils Cyberdome defense

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Germany's accusation that Russia was behind a drone attack at Leipzig airport marks "largely the beginning of a real war," state TV reported. Berlin officially attributed the August incident to Moscow, prompting new security measures. Lavrov dismissed the evidence as unverified and compared German sanctions, including closing Russian consulates, to the start of World War II, claiming Germans "again want war." Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the attribution "incontestable" and court-defensible, noting the explosive device failed to detonate only by chance. In response, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced a national "Cyberdome" with digital sensors, rapid-response units for airspace protection, and legal powers for critical infrastructure firms to counter drones, citing daily hybrid attacks from Russia.