Lavrov likens Berlin's drone response to 'start of real war'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Germany's accusations and response measures over an explosive drone found at Leipzig Airport "the beginning of a real war." He made the remarks amid Berlin's closure of Russian consulates and the "Russian House" cultural center. Lavrov claimed Germany made no attempt to investigate the drone's origin before blaming Moscow. He drew parallels to the closure of diplomatic missions before World War II and criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's plans to strengthen the Bundeswehr, accusing Berlin of failing to learn from history. The minister also alleged that "metastases of Nazism" are emerging in Germany and stated that the Kremlin will "draw conclusions" from Berlin's actions. The incident has further strained already tense Russia-Germany relations.