Russia closes German Consulate General in St. Petersburg in retaliation

Russia has decided to close the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg, in retaliation for the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin.

The German chargé d’affaires was provided with the relevant official notes and informed that the permits of all staff of the diplomatic mission in St. Petersburg were being revoked.

As part of the new measures, the consulate must reduce its activities by September 18, 2026. By that date, all its employees must leave the Russian Federation.

Meanwhile, the Goethe cultural centers have been ordered to suspend their activities. The dispatched personnel of these centers must leave Russian territory no later than September 13, 2026.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the escalation of relations was prompted by the German authorities, attributing responsibility for the situation to the German government.

Moscow’s decision comes after the German authorities earlier announced a new package of sanctions and diplomatic measures against Russia. Berlin took this step in response to Moscow’s alleged involvement in the attempted drone attack on Leipzig Airport in August.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has described Germany’s new sanctions and accusations regarding the Leipzig incident as a grave mistake and falsification. According to him, Berlin is trying to blame Moscow for its domestic political crisis and the decline in popularity of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.