Russia to close branches of Germany's Goethe-Institut after drone spat, foreign minister says
Russia said it will close Goethe-Institut branches after Germany blamed Moscow for a drone incident and shut Russian cultural sites, deepening retaliatory tensions.
- On Monday, Russia ordered the closure of the German Consulate-General in St. Petersburg by September 18 and shuttered Goethe-Institut cultural centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg by September 13.
- Moscow's retaliation follows Germany's decision to close the Russian House in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn after blaming Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4.
- President Vladimir Putin dismissed the allegations as a "grave mistake," claiming evidence was "planted," while Germany insists it has become a "daily target" of the Kremlin's hybrid campaign.
- European Union ministers are weighing further sanctions, visa restrictions, and the closure of additional Russian consulates, characterizing the incident as part of a persistent pattern of hybrid warfare.
- This diplomatic escalation signals a rapid dismantling of formal channels between the nations, with security assessments warning that suspected sabotage attempts are spiking across Europe, including recent arson in Poland.
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Russia Orders Closure of German Consulate
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Monday announced the closure of the German consulate in St. Petersburg, the latest in a cycle of tit-for-tat moves following an attempted drone attack in Leipzig that Germany blamed on Russia. The ministry said the German consulate must stop operations and its workers must leave Russia...
The fence was erected in sections along the Finnish border with Russia, in order to deter Moscow from "instrumentalizing" migrants to destabilize them. Moreover, the closure of the German consulate in St. Petersburg came in response to the Berlin decision to close the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian cultural centre in Berlin after the discovery of a drone loaded with explosives at Leipzig airport.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Germany on Sunday of starting a "real war" against Russia.
If it is indeed the beginning of a war, as stated by the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, it is still to be understood. Certainly, that between Moscow and Berlin is a diplomatic confrontation that brings back the tension between the Federation and the EU beyond the alert levels. Six days after the decision of the Berlin government of [...] The article Moscow closes the German consulate in St. Petersburg. Witkoff and Kushner see Putin. So…
derwesten.de
In response to the closure of Russian institutions in Germany, Moscow is now taking drastic countermeasures.
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