Moscow has directed the closure of the German consulate in St. Petersburg, requiring all diplomatic staff to depart Russia by September 18. The decision, announced by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, intensifies a severe diplomatic standoff between the two nations amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The move is widely viewed as a retaliatory step following Berlin’s decision last week to shut down two Russian diplomatic operations in Germany. Germany accused Moscow of orchestrating an attempted drone strike at Leipzig Airport, allegations that Moscow has denied and dismissed as fabricated evidence.
In a Telegram statement, Russia’s Foreign Ministry asserted that Germany had “provoked a new round of escalation in bilateral relations” and claimed full responsibility for the fallout. Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned the German actions on Sunday, describing the accusations as marking “the beginning of a real war.”
Provoked? Really? Berlin closed our offices first after the drone accusations. Why do they blame us for responding?
It is shocking that relations have deteriorated this fast. I remember when St. Petersburg was a hub for cultural exchange.
Another closure, another escalation. When does this diplomatic freefall actually stop?