Russia announced on September 3, 2026, that it will close Germany’s Goethe-Institut cultural centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. The retaliatory move follows Berlin’s decision to shut a Russian cultural center in Berlin and a consulate in Bonn amid escalating diplomatic tensions over an airport drone incident.
Moscow Shuts Cultural Hubs as Diplomatic Relations Hit New Lows
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the closure of the German cultural institutes during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Lavrov stated that the German authorities deliberately took steps that marked the end of their cultural presence in Russia (according to state news agency TASS). Despite political ruptures following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the institutes had managed to keep functioning as one of the last surviving German institutions in the country. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that Russia would close the centres in the cities of Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, following Germany’s decision to halt the operation of a Russian cultural centre in Berlin. They [Germany] deliberately took this step – they could not have failed to understand – which means the end of their cultural presence in Russia,
Lavrov said, according to state news agency TASS. The Goethe-Institut cultural centres had stayed open despite all the Ukrainian complications in our relations with the West,
he added. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Thursday that the Russian government has officially decided to close all branches of the Goethe Institute, Germany’s international cultural institute, throughout Russia. This escalation comes as a direct response to Germany’s closure of the “Russian House” in Berlin, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. The German government had previously announced its decision to close the Russian cultural center in Germany following the discovery of a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig Airport. Berlin directly accused Moscow of being behind the attempted attack. During his speech at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Lavrov emphasized the inevitability of this regulatory measure, stating, Of course, it will be closed after our cultural center was expelled from there (from Berlin).
The Russian minister noted that the German side was fully aware that its unilateral action against the “Russian House” in Berlin would necessarily mean the end of the last cultural bridges between the two countries. The Goethe-Institut is Germany’s international cultural institute and has its main Russian branch in Moscow as well as sites in St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Lavrov said the closures were a response to Berlin’s decision to shut the Russian House of Science and Culture in the German capital, according to the Interfax news agency. The state-funded centre promotes Russian language and culture. Of course they will be closed after our cultural centre was expelled from there [from Berlin],
Lavrov said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Russia and Germany relations hit a rock bottom after Moscow announced on Thursday to close German cultural centers across the country. According to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Germany’s Goethe-Institut cultural centers would shut down in Russian cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg on the grounds of escalating tensions. Lavrov further added that “any other response would show a lack of self-respect on Russia’s part.” The Kremlin also slammed Germany for demonstrating an inconsistent and absurd position
by choosing to close the Russian consulate in Bonn. The remarks come after Berlin accused Russia of plotting a drone attack at Leipzig Airport last month using military-grade material. Russia will shutter German cultural centers across the country, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday. The move comes after Berlin blamed Moscow for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport and announced the closure of both the Russian Consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural center in the German capital. Moscow has been widely accused by Western officials of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations, something Russian officials deny. Lavrov said that cultural centers belonging to Germany’s Goethe-Institut would be closed in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, adding that any other response would show a lack of “self-respect” on Russia’s part. The Kremlin said on Thursday that Germany was displaying an inconsistent and absurd position by choosing to close the Russian consulate in Bonn.”
The Leipzig Airport Drone Incident and Berlin’s Retaliation
The tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions trace back to an explosives-laden drone discovered near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4, 2026. The device, equipped with a detonator, was safely defused before it could detonate at the civilian freight and logistics hub.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed on Wednesday to increase pressure on Russia, including with new sanctions, after an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany that she said showed Moscow’s growing “recklessness”. Airport workers last month found a drone laden with explosives and a detonator at the airport, an important civilian freight and NATO logistics hub in eastern Germany that is also a base for several giant Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo planes. Germany blamed Moscow for the attack, characterising it as part of hybrid warfare meant to intimidate and cause divisions in countries that have rallied around Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Russia denies involvement. It says it will respond to what EU and NATO accuse Russia of recklessness. EU members call for new sanctions on Russia.
The German government announced the closure after an explosives-laden drone was found at Leipzig/Halle Airport in early August. On Tuesday, Berlin said publicly for the first time that it holds Moscow responsible for the attempted attack, a claim Russia has firmly rejected. The drone, which was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane, failed to detonate. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and other officials addressed the situation as European leaders gathered.
A drone laden with explosives was found near a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Aug. 4 and later defused. The airport is a major international freight and NATO logistics hub in eastern Germany, which also serves as a base for giant Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo planes.
Broader European Response and Sabotage Concerns
European Union and NATO leaders framed the airport incident within a pattern of escalating hostile operations across the continent. Brussels and Berlin hosted emergency diplomatic exchanges as EU members called for new sanctions on Russia. Russia denies involvement and says it will respond.
Europeans are faced with the hard truth that this is the new normal. We have to step up, and that means being ready to respond to Russia's recklessness faster and better.
Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President
President Vladimir Putin dismissed the allegations, claiming that German authorities planted evidence to blame Moscow. Meanwhile, the broader diplomatic fallout continued to reverberate through international bodies and capitals across Europe as officials monitored developments closely.
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