Oct 22, 2026
Russia ordered the closure of German diplomatic offices in a tit-for-tat move after Germany accused Moscow of a hybrid attack involving a drone incident at Leipzig Airport and closed Russian consular facilities. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Germany of moving toward direct confrontation with Russia.
Russia announced it will shut down branches of Germany's Goethe-Institut cultural centers in response to Germany's closure of the Russian House in Berlin and a Russian consulate in Bonn. The escalating tensions come after Berlin blamed Moscow for an airport drone plot, part of broader Western accusations of Russian sabotage campaigns.