Russia has announced plans to close German cultural centers across the country following a diplomatic dispute with Berlin over an alleged Russian-backed drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that Goethe-Institut cultural centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg would be shut down.
The move follows Germany’s decision to close the Russian Consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural center in Berlin after accusing Moscow of involvement in an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
A drone carrying explosives was discovered near a Ukrainian aircraft at the airport on August 4 and was later defused. The airport is an important European cargo hub and has been used to support Ukraine.
Western officials have increasingly accused Russia of carrying out sabotage and disruption operations across Europe aimed at weakening support for Ukraine. Moscow has rejected the accusations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Germany’s claims, saying Berlin was attempting to divert attention from its domestic problems. He also claimed that evidence presented against Russia had been fabricated.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers are considering possible measures in response to the alleged attack, including additional sanctions, visa restrictions and the possible closure of Russian consulates.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the incident appeared to have characteristics of state-sponsored terrorism, while acknowledging the difficulty of responding without escalating the confrontation militarily.
The EU has already imposed numerous sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine, targeting thousands of individuals and organizations.
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