German officials have confirmed that Russia was behind the drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport, where explosive-laden drones were found on 4–5 August and again in late August. Germany’s response so far: closing Russia’s last remaining consulate, in Bonn, shutting the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin, and tightening entry controls for Russian citizens (ZDFheute). Chancellor Merz, who had personally warned a week earlier that “sie werden dafür bezahlen” (they will pay for it) without naming Russia at the time (ZDFheute), was notably absent from the announcement.
Ukrainian energy expert organisation Razom We Stand welcomes Germany naming Russia as responsible, but says the response stops at symbolism, while the money and the German cash keep flowing to Russia. Germany’s own state-owned energy company, SEFE, still imports 2.9 million tonnes of Russian LNG a year — around 70% of its LNG portfolio — despite holding the legal right to exit the contract via force majeure since the EU’s 19th sanctions package took effect in late 2025 (Razom We Stand research; Enerdata). Greenpeace documented that between March and June 2026, 42 Russian shadow-fleet tankers took the route past Rügen and roughly 30 entered German waters — with zero concrete inspections, a year after Wadephul first pledged to “put pressure” on the same fleet (Voice of Emirates).
Dr Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, said:
“Closing a consulate and a cultural centre is a gesture, not a serious policy — it costs Russia nothing. Germany’s own energy company SEFE is still buying millions of tonnes of Russian gas a year, and Russian shadow-fleet tankers are still sailing through German waters uninspected, exactly as they were when this government first promised to act on it. If Berlin truly believes Russia is waging a hybrid war, weak symbolic diplomacy is not the answer.
Germany must stop buying Russian gas now, using the legal exit it has held for almost a year, and Germany must lead — not just announce — real enforcement against the shadow fleet. To stand with Ukraine, words have to turn into the two things that actually cost the Kremlin money: ending the gas contracts and stopping the ships.”
Razom We Stand is calling on the German government to end SEFE’s Russian LNG contract without further delay, and to move from statements to concrete boardings and inspections of shadow-fleet tankers in German waters. Germany must also act as a strong leader in the coming EU 22nd Sanctions Package negotiations, to end European consumption of and support for Russia’s fossil fuel export economy.
