Russia Orders 3 Goethe-Institut Closures in Retaliation for Germany's Berlin and Bonn Moves
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Sep 3
Russia Orders 3 Goethe-Institut Closures in Retaliation for Germany's Berlin and Bonn Moves
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Sep 3
Summary
Lavrov said Goethe-Institut branches in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg will shut, calling Germany's closure of Russia's Berlin cultural center the effective end of German cultural presence in Russia.
The retaliation follows Berlin's move against the Russian House in Berlin and the Russian consulate in Bonn after Germany blamed Moscow for an attempted explosives-laden drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Russia has escalated diplomatically this week, summoning Germany's charge d'affaires on Wednesday and warning it could still close Germany's consulate general in St. Petersburg.
The Goethe-Institut, which opened in Moscow in 1992 and operates in about 100 countries, is one of the last German institutions still active in Russia as Moscow tightens pressure on foreign organizations.