Top Russian diplomat summoned by UK after attack on German airport
Germany has blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig airport in August.
The Government has called in a senior Russian diplomat to condemn a drone attack at Leipzig airport that Germany has blamed on the Kremlin.
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Downing Street said the Foreign Office summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires on Thursday to face criticism for the attack, which took place in August.
German interior minister Alexander Dobrindt earlier this week said it was part of a pattern of “Russian hybrid operations”.
A No 10 spokeswoman told reporters: “The UK stands in full solidarity with Germany following Russia’s egregious and reckless attack on Leipzig airport.
“The UK’s commitment to defending our Nato allies and supporting Ukraine is ironclad, and any attempt by Russia to undermine our united resolve is futile.
“This is the latest in a clear pattern of attempts by the Russian state to undermine our collective security, and that is why today we have summoned the Russian charge d’affaires to condemn the attack in the strongest terms and underlined that, alongside our European and Nato partners, the UK will continue to expose Russian hostile activity at every level.”
Read more: Russia behind attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport, Germany says
Mr Dobrindt said on Tuesday that the Leipzig airport attack followed the "well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe", and the assumption was that Germany would be targeted again.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who was standing beside Dobrindt at the press conference in Berlin, said he would order the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn.
He also said the contract for the Russian House in Berlin will be terminated - which many observers have said has been used for espionage and to spread Russian propaganda.
Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday that Russia will respond to Germany's "anti-Russian actions".
The head of Nato, Mark Rutte, said the organisation "stands in full solidarity with Germany".
"The evidence is clear. And I welcome the measures announced by Germany in response," he wrote on X.