BERLIN

Germany on Monday condemned statements by Russia's former leader Dmitry Medvedev for saying he could envisage abduction operations against Chancellor Friedrich Merz, similar to the US action in Venezuela that captured President Nicolas Maduro.

“As you can imagine, we have of course taken note of these statements and, as you can also probably imagine, the federal government condemns any form of such statements and threats in the strongest possible terms,” Sebastian Hille, a government spokesman, told a press briefing in Berlin.

He reiterated that the chancellor is “well protected and secure” despite the Russian threats.

Medvedev said on Sunday he could envisage abduction operations against other world leaders similar to the US action in Venezuela, naming Merz among them.

"The kidnapping of the neo-Nazi Merz could be an excellent twist in this carnival of events," Medvedev, who is deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, was quoted as saying by state news agency TASS.

Such a scenario was not unrealistic as "there are even grounds for prosecuting him in Germany, so it would be no loss, especially since the citizens are suffering needlessly," Medvedev added.

Maduro and his wife were captured in a US military operation on Saturday, and are now facing drug trafficking charges in New York.