Russia announces the closure of the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg and the closure of the Goethe Institute

China News Service, Moscow, September 7 (Reporter Tian Bing) The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on the 7th that in response to Germany's actions of closing the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the "Russian House" in Berlin, Russia took countermeasures and announced the closure of the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg and the closure of the Goethe Institute, a cultural institution established by Germany in Russia.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a briefing that Russia announced to the German Charge d'affaires in Russia that day that it would revoke the operating license of the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg. The consulate must cease operations before September 18, and all its staff must leave Russia before that date. At the same time, the Goethe-Institut, a German cultural institution in Russia, must cease its activities and its dispatched employees must leave the country before September 13.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that it was the German authorities who once again provoked a new round of escalation of bilateral relations. All consequences will be borne by the German government.

On August 5, German police discovered a drone near a Ukrainian transport plane at Leipzig Airport in eastern Germany. The drone was said to be equipped with explosives. German government officials stated on September 1 that Russia was related to the attempted drone attack. Germany decided to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn on September 18 and terminate the relevant contract with the "Russia House", a cultural institution in Berlin.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said on the 3rd that Germany failed to confirm that the drone that crashed at Leipzig Airport belonged to Russia, but decided to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the "Russian House" in Berlin based on speculation. Russia will also close a number of German cultural institutions in Russia, the Goethe Institute.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov stated on the 4th that Russia firmly denies Germany’s accusations that Russia is suspected of being involved in the drone incident at Leipzig Airport, and pointed out that these accusations are “empty and baseless.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry previously issued a statement saying that Germany's relevant measures are "another step towards the complete destruction of Russian-German relations" and that Russia will respond strongly to Germany's anti-Russian measures.