Russia says it will close branches of Germany’s Goethe-Institut cultural network in Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announces the decision in statements carried by Russian newswires, citing Germany’s actions involving Russian cultural and diplomatic sites.
Multiple outlets link the move to Germany’s plan to close the Russian House cultural center in Berlin and to shut a Russian consulate in Bonn. One outlet also ties the German closures to a drone-related incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Bloomberg and others frame the step as tit-for-tat retaliation, while Deutsche Welle and Al Jazeera focus on the announcement itself and the broader escalation of tensions between the two countries. Different reports vary slightly in how they describe the trigger for Germany’s closures, but they describe the same sequence: Germany closes Russian institutions, and Russia responds by closing Goethe-Institut branches.
Some sources describe the Russian action broadly as shutting “branches” or “centres” nationwide, without listing which locations will be affected. Others repeat that Lavrov characterizes the step as deliberate and responsive to Germany’s measures, presenting it as part of an increasingly strained bilateral relationship.
