According to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the government in Moscow will close the Goethe Institutes in Russia. According to the Interfax news agency, the minister said in Vladivostok that it was a reaction to the announced closure of the Russian House in Berlin. The federal government had announced that it would terminate the contract for the operation of the Russian House as a result of the discovery of an explosive drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport. In return, the Goethe Institute was expected to close.
Berlin blames Moscow for the attempted attack. Russia firmly rejects this. At the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Lavrov criticized the fact that the German authorities had not provided any evidence. They saw a drone and decided it looked like a Russian one, he said.
Russia denies having anything to do with the drone at the airport. Moscow sees the case surrounding the unexploded flying object as a cheap “provocation” that only serves the interests of militaristic circles in Europe and Ukraine.
Positions in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk affected
According to the Goethe-Institut, in addition to the main office in Moscow, there are also cultural institutions in St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk. “Of course they will be closed after our cultural center is expelled from there (Berlin),” Lavrov said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Germany consciously accepts that the step against the Russian House “clearly means the end of its cultural presence in the Russian Federation”.
Lavrov explained that it was a question of “self-respect” for Moscow to respond to the federal government’s anti-Russian sanctions. At the same time, during his appearance, he accused the West of continuing to rely on sanctions and pressure rather than negotiations in the conflict over Ukraine. Russia has been waging its war of aggression against Ukraine for more than four and a half years.
The Russian minister complained that Germany was acting as a leading power in its aid to Ukraine and in confrontation with Russia. He particularly mentioned Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), whom he accused of militarizing Germany. “I was just stunned,” Lavrov said.
The Goethe-Institut was able to continue working in Russia despite tensions
Despite all the tensions with the West because of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the institute was able to continue working, said Lavrov. The Goethe-Institut is one of the last German institutions still active in Russia. The institution had significantly scaled back its activities in Russia because of the conflict over Ukraine, but still organized cultural events. The globally active cultural institute also continues to offer language courses. For many Russians who are friendly to Europe and open to the West, the closure is seen as a blow.
Because of the tensions with the West, Russia had already declared a large number of foundations and organizations undesirable and thus banned them from operating. Many well-known organizations were affected, including the German Academic Exchange Service and the German Historical Institute.
The day before, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the chargé d'affaires of the German Embassy in Moscow to protest against Berlin's sanctions following the discovery of an explosive drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The ministry said the summons was made because of the anti-Russian actions and statements made by the German leadership.
Russia denies connection to airport drone incident
The Russian side firmly rejects the “completely made-up allegations of Russian involvement in the alleged incident at Leipzig Airport,” it said in a statement after the conversation. Berlin is resorting to “open provocation” to undermine Russian-German relations. “The actions of the German government will be followed by a harsh response,” threatened the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.
Russia has announced further countermeasures. One possibility that is still conceivable is the closure of the consulate general in St. Petersburg. In the past, both sides had closed mutual consulates as a result of sanctions. This was and is also associated with expulsions of diplomats and their families. This step by the Russians in response to the German announcements, along with other reactions, is still pending.
Germany accuses Russia of hybrid warfare
This week, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) blamed Russia for the drone incident at the beginning of August and announced punitive measures. Wadephul said that the Russian consulate in Bonn, for example, should be closed. Germany accuses Russia of hybrid warfare.
Authorities understand hybrid warfare to be a combination of military, economic, intelligence and propaganda means. This also includes cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns to influence public opinion, for example before elections.
