Russia closes German consulate in St. Petersburg, expels Goethe Institute staff

Russia has revoked its approval for Germany's Consulate General in St. Petersburg, forcing its closure by September 18, according to Russian state news agencies citing the Foreign Ministry. All Goethe Institutes in Russia have also been shut down, with staff ordered to leave the country by September 13. The move follows Germany's September 1 accusation that Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack on Leipzig/Halle airport, where an explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane on August 4. Berlin subsequently ordered the closure of Russia's last consulate in Germany and a Russian cultural center in Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov escalated tensions, calling the accusations "the beginning of a real war" and claiming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's military ambitions effectively constitute a declaration of war. The dispute reflects broader Western accusations of Russian hybrid warfare, including sabotage and disinformation, amid Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.