Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared Sunday that German accusations attributing an attempted airport drone strike to Moscow mark “by and large the start of a real war,” according to state news agency TASS.
Lashing out at German chancellor Friedrich Merz, Lavrov claimed Berlin’s response to the allegations demonstrates an active step toward direct military confrontation. “All these statements by Merz about making Germany the leading military power in Europe once again — they are being put into practice,” Lavrov said. He is, in effect, declaring war on us.
This comes as Germany is preparing to deepen military and intelligence support for Ukraine as Berlin moves to respond to what it says was a Russian sabotage operation at Leipzig/Halle Airport, according to Der Spiegel.
The plans include sending thousands of attack drones and additional missiles for Ukraine’s Iris-T air defence systems this month, alongside a significant expansion of co-operation between German and Ukrainian intelligence agencies.
People familiar with the German government’s plans told the magazine that strengthening Kyiv’s ability to strike Russian forces on the battlefield and targets deeper inside Russia was one component of Berlin’s response.
Germany’s intelligence services could also be given wider powers to counter hostile operations. Legislation expected to receive Bundestag backing would expand the range of active measures available to German agencies when responding to foreign attacks.
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Under the proposed changes, employees of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, or BND, could receive broader authority to counter hostile cyber operations, including accessing adversaries’ computers and servers and deleting stolen information.
The agencies could also be permitted to interfere with hostile supply chains, including by replacing individual components in consignments bound for states regarded as adversaries.
Berlin is simultaneously preparing a tougher diplomatic and economic response to Moscow.
Stefan Thumann, a German defence entrepreneur whose company Donaustahl supplies combat drones to Ukraine, has gone further in characterising the confrontation.
He said some Russian operations amounted to an “act of war controlled and coordinated here by the Russian armed forces”.
Speaking on a podcast operated by the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, Thumann said: “Germany and Russia are at war.”
Thumann has also said he is living under protection after authorities uncovered what he described as an alleged Russian plot to poison him.
Moscow’s public rhetoric has grown increasingly hostile in response.
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