Russia closes German consulate in St Petersburg after drone spat

Russia said it will close Germany’s Consulate-General in St. Petersburg in retaliation for Berlin closing the Russian consulate in Bonn and a Russian cultural center in Germany. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the consulate must stop operating no later than September 18. It also confirmed that Germany’s Goethe-Institut cultural centers in Russia must cease activities, with staff ordered to leave the country by September 13. The measures follow Germany’s decision after accusing Moscow of an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport, an allegation Russia dismissed as an “absurd fabrication.” The foreign ministry blamed the German authorities for escalating bilateral tensions.