Russia to shut three Goethe-Institut branches after Germany closes the Russian cultural centre in Berlin

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Moscow will close Goethe-Institut branches in Moscow, St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, retaliation for Germany shutting Russia's Bonn consulate and Berlin cultural centre after accusing Moscow of orchestrating the Leipzig airport drone plot. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin had 'carefully prepared its response' and called on Moscow to show readiness for talks on Ukraine, while President Putin dismissed the drone allegations and said the evidence had been 'planted'.

← See the full edition