The Goethe-Institut branches located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk are slated for closure. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that this measure is a direct response to the announced shutdown of the “Russian House” in Berlin. The underlying issue is tied to the discovery of an explosive drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport, for which the German federal government had assigned blame to Moscow.
Observers had already anticipated the closure of the Goethe-Institut, and the potential shutdown of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg is also considered possible. Historically, both countries have closed consulates in response to sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously accused Germany of fabricating evidence in order to assign Moscow responsibility for the attempted drone attack. In a move of protest against sanctions, the Russian Foreign Ministry had already summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Moscow.
