Russia to close Goethe-Institut centres as Germany tensions escalate

What the report says

Russia says it will shut the Goethe-Institut’s centres in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, escalating a diplomatic dispute with Germany, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting based on Russian state media and official comments. The move follows Germany’s decision to close a Russian cultural centre in Berlin and a consulate in Bonn after accusing Moscow of involvement in a drone incident at Leipzig/Halle airport in August.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the German decision meant the end of Germany’s cultural presence in Russia, while the Kremlin described Berlin’s position as inconsistent. Lavrov’s deputy later said Russia would retaliate soon for the Bonn consulate closure. The Goethe-Institut has operated in Russia since the early 1990s, and Russia has previously used cultural closures as a response in other diplomatic disputes.

The dispute is tied to a broader rise in tensions between Russia and European governments over alleged sabotage and so-called hybrid attacks linked to the war in Ukraine. German officials have accused Russia of being behind the drone episode, while President Vladimir Putin rejected that claim and accused Germany of trying to frame Moscow.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the incident had the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism, and EU ministers discussed further sanctions on Russian-linked individuals and entities. The episode underscores how the Ukraine war continues to spill into diplomatic and cultural ties across Europe.