Russia shuts Goethe-Institut centers over Germany tensions

Russia will close all Goethe-Institut cultural centres in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg in retaliation for Germany’s decision to shut a Russian cultural centre in Berlin and a consulate in Bonn.

The move follows a sharp escalation in tensions after Germany accused Russia of a "hybrid attack" involving an explosive-laden drone found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle airport on August 4. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt explicitly blamed Moscow, while Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the allegations as fabricated. The EU and NATO have warned that such incidents are part of a broader Russian campaign to destabilise Ukraine’s allies.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Germany’s actions would end its cultural presence in Russia, despite the Goethe-Institut’s long-standing operations since the 1990s. The Kremlin called Germany’s closure of the Bonn consulate "absurd," while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the drone incident as "state-sponsored terrorism." France and other EU members have summoned Russian envoys, with Paris vowing the act would not go unpunished.

The EU is now pushing for sanctions on 1,600 Russian individuals and entities linked to Moscow’s military industry, with a potential vote next month. Kallas urged stronger unity among member states, framing the hybrid attacks as a wake-up call for those hesitant to take a harder line. Russia has previously retaliated against Western cultural institutions, closing the British Council in 2018 after a similar diplomatic row. Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko warned that further retaliation for the Bonn consulate closure would come "very soon."