Russia announces it is closing Germany's consulate in St. Petersburg
The tit-for-tat reaction comes after Germany said it is shutting down Russia's consulate in Bonn and its cultural center in Berlin.
On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry declared it is closing Germany's consulate in St. Petersburg. The closure must occur by September 18 at the latest, according to the ministry. The ministry attributed the decision to Berlin, stating that Germany is solely responsible for the deteriorating bilateral relations. The ministry emphasized that Russia also ordered the closure of all Goethe-Institut branches on Russian soil, with staff required to depart the country by September 13.
The Goethe-Institut, a center dedicated to promoting German language and culture, is primarily funded by the German government. These actions are a direct response to Germany's decision to close the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian cultural center in Berlin, which Russia deemed "unfriendly." Germany announced these measures following an alleged attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport, which Russia denied responsibility for.
The EU also labeled the incident as indicative of "state-sponsored terrorism." Leipzig Airport is a significant international freight hub, frequently utilized for supporting Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, dismissed Germany's allegations, asserting they mark the onset of "real war."
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