Russia Closes German Consulate in St. Petersburg Following Diplomatic Escalation
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the German consulate in St. Petersburg will cease operations by September 18. This move follows Germany's decision to close the Russian consulate-general in Bonn and the Russian House cultural center in Berlin. Germany took these actions after identifying Russia as the source of an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that the drone's configuration and technology were consistent with Russian hybrid operations and the war against Ukraine. In response to Germany's actions, Russia ordered the closure of all Goethe-Institut branches on Russian territory, requiring staff to leave by September 13. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Germany provoked a new round of escalation and bears full responsibility for the consequences. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the allegations of the drone attack as the beginning of a real war and called the German measures absolutely unacceptable. While Germany has provided significant military and civilian aid to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly condemned the West's support for Kyiv.
Sources
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Russia says it is closing German consulate in St. Petersburg
dw.com
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Berlin Is Shedding Light on the Gray Zone
Foreign Policy
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Russia shutters German consulate as diplomatic freeze deepens
Al Jazeera