The statement reported that the Russian side withdrew, effective August 29, its consent for the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg to continue its duties, requiring it to cease operations and its staff to leave the country by September 18.
It added that the "Goethe-Institut" centers in Russia must terminate their activities and their staff must leave Russian territory by September 13.
The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that Berlin has "reignited tension" in bilateral relations, stressing that the German government bears full responsibility for the consequences thereof.
These developments come against the backdrop of German authorities finding, on August 4, a drone believed to have been loaded with an explosive device near a Ukrainian transport plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport, where US intelligence claimed at the time that the drone's characteristics belonged to Russian military intelligence.
On September 1, the German government announced that investigation results point to Moscow's responsibility for the incident, and accordingly approved a series of measures, including closing the Russian Consulate in Bonn by September 18, terminating the contract of the "Russian House" in Berlin, tightening entry control procedures for Russian citizens, and intensifying pressure on the so-called Russian "shadow fleet."
