Russia Closes German Consulate and Goethe Institute

X/ @TRTWorldNow

September 7, 2026 Hour: 11:19 am

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FM Lavrov accused Germany of starting a ‘real war’ against Russia.

On Monday, Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry announced the closure of Germany’s Consulate in St. Petersburg and the Goethe Institute in response to “unfriendly actions” by Berlin.

“Russia revokes its consent for the operation of Germany’s Consulate General in St. Petersburg, which must cease operations no later than Sept. 18, 2026, and all of its employees must leave the Russian Federation by that date,” the Russian diplomacy stated, adding that Goethe employees must leave Russia before Sept. 13.

The statement specified that the Goethe Institute branches “must cease their operations.” The Russian Foreign Ministry said the respective notes were delivered to the head of the German diplomatic mission in Russia.

Moscow stressed that the announced measures are a response to Berlin’s “unfriendly” actions, which included the decision to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin after accusing Moscow of involvement in the incident that occurred in early August at Leipzig airport.

The Russian Foreign Ministry held the German side responsible for the new escalation in bilateral relations and said that all responsibility for its consequences “rests exclusively with the German government.”

Lavrov just called it “the beginning of a real war.”

Germany–Russia relations are collapsing after Berlin blamed Moscow for an explosive drone plot at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the tech, explosives and intelligence fit Russia’s… pic.twitter.com/MfGEaCVeCE
— Global Strategy (@World_At_War_6) September 7, 2026

On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Germany of starting a “real war” against Russia because of Berlin’s reaction to what happened in Leipzig.

“They found a drone there. They said it was Russian and no one bothered to investigate further. Broadly speaking, this is essentially the beginning of a real war,” Lavrov said in comments to Russian television.

On Sept. 4, the Kremlin also said that “the accusations against Russia are completely unfounded. We categorically reject these accusations, consider them entirely empty and without convincing arguments.”

It also recalled that Berlin did not act in the same way when those responsible for the explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipeline were caught practically red-handed.

On Aug. 4, a drone equipped with an explosive charge was found at Leipzig airport, and there was an alleged collision between a second unmanned aerial vehicle and a DHL cargo plane. Ten days later, German authorities claimed to have found a third drone and explosives. In none of these cases did they present evidence to support their claims.

On Sept. 1, the German government held Russia responsible for an alleged hybrid attack and announced the closure of the Russian Consulate in Bonn effective Sept. 18, the cancellation of the contract allowing the Russian House cultural center in Berlin to operate, and the summoning of the Russian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Germany has no evidence against Moscow and linked Berlin’s accusations to the European nation’s difficult domestic political situation ahead of the elections on Sunday, Sept. 6.