2 hrs ago
Russia to Close German Cultural Centres After Airport Drone Plot
A drone carrying explosives was found near a Ukrainian plane at a German airport.
Germany said Russia was responsible and closed some Russian diplomatic and cultural facilities.
Russia rejected the accusation and said the evidence was planted.
Russia then announced that it would close German Goethe-Institut centres in several cities.
Germany said it was responding carefully to what it called a Russian hybrid campaign.
European Union ministers also discussed possible sanctions and travel restrictions.
They wanted to respond without using military force.
Russia said Germany should instead focus on talks and negotiations, especially about Ukraine.
Russia will close Goethe-Institut cultural centres in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, Sergey Lavrov said.
The move follows Germany’s decision to close the Russian Consulate in Bonn and Russian House in Berlin.
Germany blamed Moscow for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4.
A drone carrying explosives was found near a Ukrainian aircraft and later defused.
EU ministers discussed sanctions, visa restrictions and consulate closures, while Russia denied the allegations.
- Who
- Russia, Germany, European Union officials, and Russian and German foreign ministers are involved.
- What
- Russia announced the closure of German cultural centres after Germany blamed Moscow for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
- Where
- The incident occurred at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany; the affected Goethe-Institut centres are in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg.
- When
- The drone was found on August 4; Russia announced its response on Thursday, after EU ministers met on Wednesday.
- Why
- Germany said Russia was behind the attempted attack and closed Russian facilities; Moscow described its own closures as a response to Germany’s actions.
Germany and European Union
Russia
Responsibility for the airport incident
Germany and European Union
Germany and some Western officials blamed Moscow for the attempted drone attack, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said it had the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism.
Russia
Vladimir Putin rejected the accusations, saying Berlin was seeking to distract from its own failings and voter dissatisfaction, and that any evidence had been planted.
Diplomatic and cultural closures
Germany and European Union
Germany said it had carefully prepared its response, including closing Russian facilities, and the EU considered additional sanctions, travel bans, asset freezes and consulate closures.
Russia
Lavrov said Russia’s closure of German Goethe-Institut centres was necessary after Berlin shut Russian House, arguing that any other response would show a lack of self-respect.
Next steps
Germany and European Union
Germany called on Russia to accept reasonable talks and negotiations, particularly concerning Ukraine, while the EU sought nonmilitary ways to respond.
Russia
Russia said Germany should live with the consequences of its actions and disputed the broader allegations of sabotage and disruption.
Key facts
- Russian closures
- Goethe-Institut centres in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg will be closed.
- German closures
- Germany announced the closure of the Russian Consulate in Bonn and Russian House in Berlin.
- Airport incident
- A drone laden with explosives was found near a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4 and later defused.
- Russian position
- Vladimir Putin dismissed the allegations and said any evidence had been planted.
- EU response options
- Ministers discussed sanctions, visa restrictions and closing Russian consulates.
- Existing EU sanctions
- The EU has imposed almost two dozen sanctions packages affecting more than 3,000 officials, oligarchs and entities.
- German position
- Foreign Minister Johan Wadephul said Germany was not at war but had become a daily target of the Kremlin’s hybrid campaign.
Quotes
Kaja Kallas
EU foreign policy chief who addressed reporters before chairing the bloc’s foreign ministers’ meeting
“It is clear that it has all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism. The question is: what do we do about this”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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