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Germany closes Russian consulate and cultural institute in Berlin

In response to tensions following a drone attack in Leipzig, Germany plans to close the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin.

3 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Germany closes Russian consulate and cultural institute in Berlin — Archive photoPhoto: Romzig · Wikimedia Commons · CC0

The German government has decided to close the Russian consulate in Bonn as well as the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin. This action comes in response to an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport, linked to tensions between the two countries. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced this decision, as reported by 'The Guardian'.

In a subsequent reaction, Russia announced the closure of branches of the German Goethe-Institut. According to the news agency Interfax, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that this closure would be a direct response to the closure of Russian facilities in Germany.

The incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport has led to intense diplomatic tensions in recent days. Reports suggest that Moscow is being accused of being involved in the incident, prompting the German government to take direct action.

Lavrov emphasized in his statements that the closures of the Goethe-Institut are a necessary step to safeguard Russia's national interests. He also pointed out that these measures are part of a broader context of reactions to the current developments in German-Russian relations.

The closure of the consulate and the cultural institute has been viewed by various parties as a strong reaction to escalating conflicts between Germany and Russia. The German government takes the allegations against Russia seriously and pursues a consistent policy of sanctioning perceived aggressions.

Additionally, it has been revealed that both Russia and Germany will intensify their diplomatic measures in response. Developments are being closely monitored as they could potentially affect future diplomatic relations between the two countries.

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