Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Thursday that Germany's Goethe-Institut cultural centers will be closed in Russia. This decision follows Germany's closure of the Russian House in Berlin, which was attributed to Russia's alleged involvement in an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Lavrov stated that Goethe-Institut locations in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg would be affected. His comments were reported by Russian news agencies TASS and Interfax. The closure of the Russian cultural center in Berlin and a Russian consulate in Bonn were part of Germany's response to the incident.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Germany of fabricating evidence to implicate Moscow in the drone attack. Lavrov remarked that Germany's actions signify the end of its cultural presence in Russia, despite the ongoing tensions related to Ukraine. The first Goethe-Institut in Russia was established in Moscow in 1992, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 2018, Russia had previously ordered the closure of the British Council amid diplomatic tensions with the UK.
Additionally, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko indicated that Moscow would respond to Germany's closure of the consulate in Bonn "very soon."
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.