Russia claims Germany 'wants war again' after being blamed for drone bombs attack on airport

Russia has claimed that Germany 'wants war again' after Berlin accused Moscow of orchestrating the drone attack on Leipzig airport last month. German police deployed a bomb disposal unit and flights were grounded from the city after UAV was found on the tarmac near a Ukrainian cargo plane on August 4.Russia was blamed for the incident, with Germany saying 'low-level agents' attempted a 'hybrid attack' involving an explosive-laden drone at the airport in eastern Germany.However Moscow and Berlin closed each other's cultural centres this week, with EU countries summoning Russian envoys. And Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has now claimed Berlin 'wants war again' as US negotiators meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv for peace talks on Sunday. Mr Lavrov said: 'This is, by and large, the start of a real war. They expelled the consulate general from Bonn. 'They're closing the Russian House (cultural centre) in Berlin. I remember that before the start of the Second World War... They want war again.'He also accused Germany of Nazism, saying: 'The Russian leadership will draw the appropriate conclusions.' Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, pictured with Vladimir Putin, has accused Germany of 'wanting war again' Mr Lavrov also said German chancellor Freidrich Merz (pictured) is 'declaring war' on RussiaMr Lavrov added that Berlin 'is in effect declaring war' on Russia, referring to chancellor Friedrich Merz's recent comments about German defence. The Russian politician said: 'All these statements by Merz ​about making Germany ⁠the leading military power ⁠in Europe once again - they are being put into ‌practice. He is, in effect, declaring war on us.'It comes after Vladimir Putin warned Russians earlier this week that they must be 'prepared for anything' as he hinted at escalating his war against Ukraine.The leader gave no hope of an early end to the four-year-long conflict while speaking at Russia's Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.'We must be prepared for anything,' he said when asked if the current long fuel queues, caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries, would subside.'Only our readiness for anything will give everyone who wants to harm us an understanding that it is better not to do so,' he said.He also vowed 'to launch retaliatory strikes' on Ukraine so they 'don't dare to harm us again' with more oil refinery strikes that have crippled his fuel supplies.The Russian leader's menacing warning comes as the country has been facing a difficult summer, with nightly swarms of Ukrainian drones striking oil refineries, as well as setting ablaze retail warehouses. An explosive-disposal robot was deployed at Leipzig Airport last month after the drone scare The Janschwalde lignite-fired power plant is the largest in Brandenburg. It was targeted with 'homemade explosive rockets' in an attack on Tuesday (File picture)Putin also ruled out peace talks and accused Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky of 'state terrorism'.Despite Putin having ruled out peace talks, Russia and Ukraine agreed last night to a 72-hour ceasefire as US negotiators met Mr Putin in Moscow on Saturday to discuss peace. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv by train on Sunday to resume talks with Zelensky. After the drone attack on Leipzig airport last month, a major power plant in Germany was on Tuesday targeted with 'homemade explosive rockets'.Local media reported that a key installation near the Janschwalde coal-fired power plant in Brandenburg was repeatedly targeted with rockets this morning, while emergency services discovered and defused additional devices.Police have not yet confirmed that the site was attacked with rockets. Speaking to the German Press Agency, they said that possible damage to a power line had been discovered and bomb disposal experts were at the scene.They added that several improvised explosive and incendiary devices were also discovered after a possible property damage incident earlier today.Jan Redmann, the state interior minister, later called the incident an 'act of sabotage' and added that the number of devices found, currently in the double digits, was still rising.Germany has long accused Moscow of targeting it with a campaign of hybrid attacks involving espionage and sabotage - charges denied by Russia.The country has for months reported suspicious drone sightings over military and industrial sites, but the Leipzig incident on the night of August 4 raised the alarm as a drone found there carried explosives.Police used a robot to defuse the device found near a Ukrainian cargo plane, and another drone was reportedly found weeks later near the airport, also with traces of an explosive substance.The airport in eastern Germany plays a key role in the transport of military goods, including by the German military and Nato allies, and also serves as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines.Chancellor Friedrich Merz later said Germany had increasingly 'found itself in the crosshairs of hybrid attackers'.But Berlin has so far refrained from blaming Russia while speaking only of the possible involvement of 'foreign powers'.