German official accuses Putin of 'exhaustion tactics' in Ukraine, demands answers on Siberia lab death

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul publicly accused Russia of employing 'brutal exhaustion tactics' through 'rocket terror' against Ukraine, signaling a hardening of Berlin's rhetoric. He also demanded clarification on the plague death of a laboratory assistant in Siberia, linking it to broader concerns about Russian accountability. The statement reflects heightened diplomatic tension but no new policy shift is confirmed.