Germany revokes licences for almost all Russian consulates

In response to Russia imposing restrictions on the number of German officials on its territory, Germany has revoked the licences of four of the five Russian consulates in Germany. 

Source: This was reported by Spiegel, writes European Pravda

Details: A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin announced that Germany is responding to Russia's reduction of the total number of employees of German diplomatic missions and other organisations, such as the Goethe Institute, to 350 people, by revoking the licences of most of the Russian consulates. 

He said the Russian side had been informed of the decision on 31 May, and Moscow had been asked to finally wind down the operations of these consulates by 31 December 2023.

Another Consulate General and the Russian Embassy will be able to continue to operate.

The spokesman noted that this decision would create "structural and staff parity".

At the same time, Germany has been closing its three consulates in Russia - in Kaliningrad, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk - since November.

A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry called Russia's decision an escalation. "This unjustified decision is forcing the federal government to resort to very significant reductions in all areas of our presence in Russia," he said.

Moscow made its decision most likely in response to attempts by the German government to get rid of Russian intelligence officers disguised as diplomats. When a double-digit number of employees left Germany in April, the Russian Foreign Ministry described Berlin’s actions as "hostile" and warned Germany there would be consequences.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!