Germany Criticizes Closure of Consulate in St. Petersburg

Germany's Foreign Ministry on Monday, September 7, criticized Moscow's decision to close the German consulate general in St. Petersburg, calling it a regrettable mistake that further complicates a return to constructive relations between the two countries. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the closure on the same day as a response to Berlin's decision to shut Russia's consulate in Bonn over German findings of Russian involvement in an attempted sabotage at Leipzig airport. The German consulate must cease operations by September 18, 2026, with all staff leaving Russia by that date. Goethe-Institut branches in Russia must also close, with their employees required to depart by September 13. On September 6, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described Germany's measures as "the beginning of a real war." The dispute stems from an August 4 attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig airport, which German authorities attributed to Russia based on analysis of the drone's settings and components.