Russia announced that it would close all German Goethe-Institut cultural centers throughout the country in retaliation for Germany closing the Russian House cultural center in Berlin earlier this week. That closure happened after Germany deemed Russia responsible for an explosive-laden drone and detonator discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport. It is believed that Moscow was planning to use the device to target Ukrainian transport aircraft that arrive and depart there. Germany also closed the Russian consulate in the city of Bonn.
The Goethe-Institut is Germany’s preeminent cultural institute with locations throughout the world. The organization’s primary goal is to “facilitate international cultural exchange, promote access to the German language and support the unimpeded development of culture and science.” There are 154 Goethe-Institutes in 100 countries, including Russia. The Goethe-Institute promotes “knowledge of the German language, cultivates international cultural cooperation, and provides information about cultural, social, and political life in Germany.”
The closure of the German centers was announced by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov while speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia.
“The Germans have Goethe-Institute branches here: in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg,” said Lavrov. “Well, of course they will be closed after our cultural center was expelled from there [from Berlin].”
Lavrov denied that the drone Germany discovered at the Leipzig/Halle Airport, claiming Germany made the decision under “false pretext,” according to Russian state news agency TASS.
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“They found a drone at an airport in Leipzig, Germany,” said Lavrov. “They decided that the drone looks like those used by Russia, although they still cannot confirm this as a definitive conclusion. On the basis of these assumptions, speculations and guesswork, they decided to close our last remaining consulate general in Bonn and our Russian House in Berlin.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin also denied his country’s involvement in the drone incident, reported the Associated Press. He said the drone in question had “been planted” and said that Germany made up the allegations to distract for the country’s own failures.
Russia teased that further retaliations could occur in the future, hinting at shuttering Germany’s consulate general in St. Petersburg, Russia.