BERLIN, August 20. /TASS/. Russia’s ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, has sharply criticized the remarks made by a German Foreign Ministry spokesman regarding the controversy involving Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) journalist Michael Martens. Nechayev described the comments as unfriendly and a distortion of reality, particularly in light of recent developments.

"Moscow has taken note of the unfriendly and misleading statements made by German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Giese during a press conference in Berlin on August 19," Nechayev stated in a response to TASS. He emphasized that Giese’s remarks effectively excused Martens and overlooked the broader context.

Nechayev pointed to the bitter irony in Germany’s stance on freedom of speech, noting, "The unfounded accusation that Russia lacks free speech is especially striking, considering that in Germany, foreign media - especially Russian outlets - are banned merely for presenting an alternative perspective to the mainstream narrative. Access to such viewpoints is systematically blocked for ordinary readers."

He further condemned the actions against Russian journalists, stating, "They are expelling ‘undesirable’ Russian journalists who seek to provide an objective picture of Russia and convey the authentic position of the Russian leadership."

Nechayev noted that Martens "effectively offered the head of the Kiev regime assistance in 'killing Russians’." "This is precisely why a journalist who essentially calls for the murder of foreign citizens based on ethnicity and has no intention of apologizing can be held legally accountable. The Russian Criminal Code contains a corresponding article on this matter," Nechayev noted. "We have also submitted an appeal to German law enforcement agencies. We hope it will be considered," he said.

The diplomat emphasized that "it is especially disgusting to hear such remarks from a German citizen." "If modern German politicians take the words 'Never again!' seriously!, they should understand that Germany's historical responsibility requires a permanent renunciation of hate rhetoric, especially against the peoples of the former USSR," he said. "It's worth keeping in mind that relegating calls for 'killing Russians' to the status of acceptable and even commendable ones will dehumanize and create threats for Russian citizens and members of the Russian-speaking community living in Germany."

Nechayev also noted that Giese's statements came amid the German authorities' rejection of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's calls for specifically killing civilians in Gaza.

"So, does that mean Russians can be killed?" Nechayev asked. "The dissemination of inhumane, Russophobic statements must cease. We call on the German authorities to distance themselves from the FAZ correspondent's statements and condemn any manifestations of hatred against Russian people," he emphasized.