A drone beside a Ukrainian cargo plane is costing Russia its last consulate in Germany
Four others closed in 2023, leaving Moscow with an embassy and, from this month, no consular presence outside it.
As of 18 September, more than 150 Russian staff members and their families will be leaving Germany after Berlin decided to close its last consulate in the country. This decision was made in response to a drone incident that occurred at Leipzig/Halle airport, where an explosive drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane. The drone, whose origin was unclear, did not cause any harm.
The German government expelled no individual diplomats by name, but closed Russian institutions as a measure of diplomatic pressure. This action was taken after Germany accused Russia of restricting German missions first, a claim Western officials have attributed to over 200 acts of various disruptive activities across Europe. The closure marks a significant step, as Berlin chose to shut down a mission rather than simply impose sanctions.
Germany also plans to add more Russians to EU sanctions lists, tighten entry checks, and tackle the issue of tankers carrying sanctioned Russian oil. Despite the closure, Russia's consular presence in Germany remains intact, as the Russian House cultural center in Chișinău, Moldova, continues to operate under Russian ownership.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
