A 13-year-old girl who said she was kidnapped and raped by a group of Middle Eastern refugees has admitted the story was “made up”, German police have said.

The alleged incident involved a family of Russian immigrants living in Berlin, and it led to a further souring of diplomatic relations between Russia and Germany.

But Berlin has since accused Moscow of exploiting the case for “political propaganda”, and German prosecutors said the girl’s story had not stood up to questioning.

Named only as Lisa in German media reports, the girl was reported missing by her parents on 11 January. She reappeared more than a day later with bruising to her face, and told her parents she was abducted by a group of refugees.

The incident was investigated by German police, who said mobile phone data did not support the girl’s account and that there was no evidence of her being the victim of a sexual crime. German media reports suggested she was going through unspecified “school problems” and had stayed at the home of a 19-year-old male friend.

Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Show all 13 1 /13 Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Women protest against sexism outside Cologne Cathedral on 5 January after the assaults Oliver Berg/EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Women protest against sexism in Cologne following the rash of sex attacks on New Year's Eve Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police initially failed to mention the assaults in report the following morning EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police officers patrol in front of the main station of Cologne, Germany AP Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks German far-right supporters demonstrate at Cologne`s train station (Reuters) Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016. Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police used pepper spray to control supporters of Pegida, Hogesa (Hooligans against Salafists) and other right-wing populist groups as they protested against the New Year's Eve sex attacks on 9 January, 2016 in Cologne, Germany Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police use a water cannon during a protest march by supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016 Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police use pepper spray against supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida, in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016. Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Artist Mira Moiré protests naked in Cologne against the mass sex attacks on New Year's Eve AP Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks A demonstrator holds a sign in German that reads 'No violence against women' during a demonstration in the wake of the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve, outside the cathedeal in Cologne, Germany, 09 January 2016. EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Counter demonstrators hold up a sign reading "Against sexism, against racism" as they protest against a demonstration of the islamophobic movement PEGIDA at the train station in Cologne, Germany, on January 9, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Demonstration by a women’s group on Saturday (AP) AP

But that had not been enough for Russian officials, who criticised the police handling of the case and accused Germany of “sweeping problems under the rug”.

Speaking on Sunday, Germany officials went one step further. A spokesman for state prosecutor Martin Steltner reportedly said the girl “immediately admitted that the story of the rape was not true” when questioned by specialists.