Russia shuts German consulate and cultural centers amid drone attack dispute

Russia ordered the closure of Germany’s consulate general in St. Petersburg and all Goethe Institute branches in Russia, requiring diplomats and staff to leave by Sept. 18. Moscow described the move as retaliation for Germany’s closure of Russia’s consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural center in Berlin, assigning Berlin full responsibility for the worsening crisis. The dispute escalated after Germany accused Russia of involvement in an attempted explosives-laden drone attack near Leipzig/Halle Airport, allegations Moscow rejected as unsubstantiated and politically motivated. The tit-for-tat measures mark a new low in relations already sharply deteriorated by Russia’s war in Ukraine and Germany’s extensive support for Kyiv.