Moscow’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the German consulate in St. Petersburg must cease operations by September 18, marking an escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The order requires all diplomats and staff to depart the country by that deadline.
The closure represents a retaliatory measure following Germany’s actions last week, when Berlin shuttered two Russian diplomatic facilities—the consulate general in Bonn and the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin. Germany had accused Russia of being responsible for an attempted drone strike on Leipzig/Halle Airport. In response to Germany’s closure of its diplomatic operations, Russia subsequently ordered the shutdown of all branches of the Goethe-Institut, a German cultural organization, with staff instructed to leave by Sunday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov characterized Germany’s actions as provocative escalation and drew comparisons to pre-World War II events, calling the measures “absolutely unacceptable.” Lavrov also suggested the situation represented the beginning of an actual conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed allegations regarding the drone attack, claiming without substantiation that evidence had been fabricated.
Relations between Moscow and Berlin have deteriorated significantly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Germany has positioned itself as a major supporter of Ukraine, providing substantial financial assistance for civilian needs and military equipment. Russia’s Foreign Ministry statement accused Germany of bearing full responsibility for the consequences of its actions and alleged that Berlin had intentionally provoked further escalation in bilateral relations.
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