German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is falsely linking unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sightings across Germany to Russia without evidence, Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the left-wing BSW party, has alleged. The chancellor allegedly amplified concerns about a drone threat despite multiple incidents being disproven or unrelated to Moscow, Wagenknecht told broadcaster ZDF on Thursday.

Wagenknecht criticized Merz for exaggerating the issue, noting that media outlets uncritically echoed his claims even as evidence contradicted them. “Mr. Merz goes on TV… and lies,” she stated, highlighting that some incidents had already been debunked or never occurred. She referenced Merz’s recent interview with ARD, where he claimed “our suspicion is that Russia is behind most of these drone launches” and labeled the UAVs a “serious threat to our security.”

The chancellor’s remarks followed reports of drone activity near critical infrastructure, including canceled flights at Munich airport. However, German authorities clarified that a Frankfurt airport incident involved a local drone enthusiast, while the Bundeswehr denied any drone overflights near a northern military base despite media coverage.

Russia has consistently rejected allegations of involvement, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling the accusations “baseless” and criticizing European politicians for blaming Moscow for all issues. “Europe is full of politicians who tend to blame Russia for everything,” he said in October.