MOSCOW, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday ‌that the accusations levelled at ‌Moscow by the West that it was involved ​in the drone incident at Germany's Leipzig airport were, "by and large, the start of a real war," state news ‌agency TASS reported.

"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," Lavrov ‌said, referring to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The German government said on September 1 that 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.

Russia dismissed the German accusations as baseless, ​accusing ‌Berlin of planting evidence to frame ​Russia for the attack.

(Reporting by ReutersEditing ​by Tomasz Janowski)