Ukraine & Russia fact-checks — 2 graded reports

Germany and Russia hold first foreign minister talks since 2022 Ukraine invasion

Sep 26, 2026

The DW segment reported on the first meeting between German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The roughly 20-minute talk occurred on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York amid heightened tensions following Germany's accusation that Russia orchestrated an attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August. Reporter Benjamin Alvarez Guba described the encounter, Lavrov's press briefing downplaying it, and Wadephul's strong call for Russia to abandon escalation toward Germany, Europe, and NATO, plus his UN speech urging negotiations instead of violence. The report noted uncertainty over who initiated the meeting, recent comments by Ukrainian President Zelensky on openness to talks with Putin, and potential future meetings at G20 events. It also touched on Wadephul's broader UN address covering AI, international cooperation, and UN leadership transitions.

Source: DW News

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Russia orders closure of Goethe-Institut centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg

Sep 3, 2026

The AP segment reports on escalating diplomatic tensions between Russia and Germany following a failed drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4, 2026. Germany publicly blamed Russian state entities for the incident involving an explosive-laden drone near Ukrainian cargo planes and responded by closing a Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural center in Berlin. In retaliation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the closure of Germany's Goethe-Institut centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. The report also references recent suspicious incidents on German energy infrastructure, power lines, a train station arson, and an attack near a defense manufacturer, noting the difficulty in proving links to Moscow, which uses low-paid proxies recruited via apps like Telegram. Sourcing draws on German government statements, EU diplomat Kaja Kallas's comments labeling the activities as having 'hallmarks of state sponsored terrorism,' UK diplomatic responses, and the AP's own investigative tracking of around 200 alleged Russian sabotage plots across Europe since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. No Russian officials are interviewed directly; the narrative centers Western accusations while acknowledging attribution challenges.

Source: Associated Press