Published: Just now
Germany will drastically reduce Moscow’s diplomatic presence in the country, the German Foreign Ministry announces. It is a response to Moscow cutting the number of German diplomats in Russia.
– We have decided to withdraw the permit for four out of five Russian consulates operating in Germany, says a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry.
The embassy in Berlin and a consulate will continue to be allowed to operate after the New Year.
– It is Russia that is the cause of this situation, says the German Foreign Ministry’s Christofer Burger, while also deploring the development.
Russia recently set 350 as an upper limit for German civil servants in the country, including people working in culture and education. This means that the consulates in Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Kaliningrad will be closed in November.