Tensions between Russia and Germany continue to escalate. Moscow announced the closure of German cultural institutions affiliated with the Goethe-Institut in response to Berlin's decision to terminate the operations of the Russian House and close the Russian General Consulate in Bonn. The dispute is related to a drone incident at Leipzig/Halle airport, for which the German government has blamed Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced on Thursday, September 3rd, that Moscow would respond to German measures by closing Goethe-Institut centers in Russia. During a speech on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, he specifically mentioned Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg.
According to Reuters, Lavrov stated that after the closure of the Russian House in Berlin, the German cultural presence in Russia cannot continue unchanged. The German Goethe-Institut has been operating in Russia since the early 1990s and has long been involved in teaching German language and promoting cultural cooperation.
The official website of the Goethe-Institut currently lists its own branches in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk, while a partner center for the German language operates in Yekaterinburg. The scope of the planned Russian measures will therefore depend on their specific implementation.
The current diplomatic dispute began after events that occurred on August 4th at Leipzig/Halle airport. According to Deutsche Welle, German investigators found drones equipped with explosives and a mechanism for launching them. Based on police investigations, the method used, and intelligence information, Berlin concluded that Russia was behind the attack attempt.
Germany subsequently announced the closure of the Russian General Consulate in Bonn and the termination of an agreement allowing the Russian House to operate in Berlin. It also prepared stricter controls for the entry of Russian citizens and other measures coordinated with the European Union.
Moscow denies all accusations. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described them as fabricated, and on September 2nd, it summoned a German diplomat because of them. With the announced closure of German cultural institutions, Lavrov sent a signal that the dispute between Berlin and Moscow is spilling over from the security and diplomatic sphere into cultural relations.