At least 13 Russian Houses have closed worldwide since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — and Moscow has barely responded

Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, at least 13 Russian cultural centers, known as Russian Houses, have closed their doors worldwide. These centers, operated by Russia's state agency for foreign cultural outreach, Rossotrudnichestvo, were shut down in various countries for reasons ranging from disagreements over distorted historical narratives to diplomatic tensions.

Slovenia was the first European country to demand the closure of its Russian House in Ljubljana in April 2022, leading to the expulsion of Slovenian diplomats by Moscow. Romania closed its Russian House in Bucharest in February 2023, citing distorted portrayals of reality and historical truth. Slovakia, Croatia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro saw their Russian Houses shut down between 2023 and 2025, with reasons varying from bilateral agreement terminations to diplomatic expulsions.

Denmark closed its Russian House in Copenhagen in September 2023, following its expulsion of Russian diplomats and creation of obstacles for the center. Azerbaijan's closure of its Russian House in Baku in 2025 was due to strained relations following a plane crash, which Moscow did not retaliate against but offered to rectify the situation.

Moldova terminated its cultural cooperation with Russia in February 2026, deeming the Russian Cultural Center a cover for undermining Moldova's sovereignty. Warsaw's Russian House suspended operations in February 2026, though Russia and Poland engaged in separate diplomatic expulsions in previous years. While some countries did respond to the closures, others, like Russia, refrained from retaliation, indicating a complex international dynamic in the wake of Ukraine's invasion.