By Maria Martinez
BERLIN, Sept 1 (Reuters) – The German government said on Tuesday it had concluded that Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle airport last month and ordered a series of measures in response, including the closure of a consulate and a Russian cultural centre in Berlin.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said intelligence findings indicated that individuals involved in the attack were acting on behalf of Russian state agencies.
“Taken together, police investigations, patterns of the offences and intelligence findings establish Russian responsibility for the attempted attack at Leipzig Airport,” he said.
Standing alongside Dobrindt, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany did not view Leipzig as an isolated incident.
“It fits into a broader pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe,” he said.
Wadephul said Germany’s response would include closing Russia’s consulate general in Bonn and terminating its agreement with the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin.
“Germany remains secure, and Germany will defend itself against adversaries who seek to create insecurity,” Wadephul said. “We will not allow Russia’s attacks to divide or intimidate us in our social cohesion.”
Responding to Germany’s announcement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would respond to what she called Berlin’s “anti-Russian action”, according to Interfax news agency. She did not elaborate.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin had previously dismissed such accusations as “fabricated provocation” and as “a new wave of anti-Russian hysteria in Germany”.
EU COUNTRIES EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH GERMANY
Germany and Europe more widely face a serious threat from such “hybrid” actions, the interior minister said. “These actions target critical infrastructure, defence companies and support for Ukraine.”
Germany will also push within the European Union for additional sanctions listings and travel restrictions on Russian nationals, while increasing pressure on Russia’s “shadow fleet”, Wadephul said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would discuss the attack on Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and EU foreign ministers would prepare a joint response.
“Looking forward to discussing collective countermeasures at the Gymnich meeting in Ireland tonight and tomorrow,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on X. “Full solidarity with Germany.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said in a statement that Britain stood with Germany and that any Russian attempts to undermine support for Ukraine were “doomed to fail”.
Wadephul said Germany would “continue its civilian and military support for Ukraine and will resolutely continue its solidarity with Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s war of aggression”.
(Reporting by Maria Martinez and James Mackenzie, additional reporting by Alan Charlish and William James.Editing by Gareth Jones and Kevin Liffey)
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