Russian ambassador calls Leipzig drone incident "dirty provocation"

Russian Ambassador to Belgium Denis Gonchar has described the drone incident in Leipzig as a “dirty provocation” intended to draw NATO and the European Union into a direct confrontation with Russia.

Gonchar made the remarks after being summoned to Belgium’s Foreign Ministry over the incident. The Russian Embassy in Belgium provided his comments to the state-run TASS news agency.

“D. V. Gonchar noted that the aforementioned incident is nothing other than a dirty provocation in the interests of the bankrupt Kyiv regime and the European "party of war," which are seeking at any cost to drag NATO and the EU into a direct confrontation with Russia, with all the catastrophic consequences that would follow. It is obvious that such a suicidal course does not serve the interests of the peoples of Belgium and other European countries. The ambassador stressed that Russia has never sought and is not seeking confrontation with Europe, but will do everything necessary to ensure national security and to counter threats emanating from NATO, the EU and the Kyiv regime,” the Russian diplomatic mission said.

Gonchar also said Russia would not be swayed by what he characterised as hypocritical calls from the EU and NATO for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, according to the Russian Embassy.

The ambassador was summoned to the Belgian Foreign Ministry at the request of Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot in connection with the drone incident in Leipzig.

By Tamilla Hasanova