German diplomacy confirms that Moscow has requested the departure of hundreds of German employees in Russia, particularly among officials at the Goethe Institute or the German School in Moscow.
By Le Figaro with AFP
Published 5/27/2023 at 10:52 AM, updated 5/27/2023 at 10:52 AM
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Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry. OLGA MALTSEVA
Several hundred German civil servants, particularly those working in the education and cultural sectors, will have to leave Russia in the coming days at Moscow’s request, a German government source said on Saturday.
This decision follows a decision by the Russian authorities to order Germany to significantly reduce its diplomatic staff and public facilities such as the Goethe-Institut cultural center or the German School in Moscow by early June, she added.
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This source confirmed information from the Süddeutsche Zeitung, which speaks of a “diplomatic declaration of war by Moscow” in Berlin.
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Moscow’s answer to Berlin
After the recent reduction in the presence of Russian secret services in Germany, the Russian Foreign Ministry, under pressure from Berlin, “in April set an upper limit on the number of German diplomatic personnel and public organizations” who may be in Russia, the German Foreign Office is told. “This limit set by Russia from the beginning of June means significant cuts in all areas of the (German) presence in Russia,” the same source added.
The ministry did not provide any information on the number of people affected, but a government source said that the information from the Süddeutsche Zeitung, which speaks of several hundred people, was “correct”. The German authorities have tried in recent weeks to persuade the Russian ministry to reverse its decision, but without success, the newspaper said.
As a result, German officials, diplomatic and consular staff, but above all those involved in culture and education will have to pack their bags in the coming days.
However, Berlin will not stop there and will ensure a “balance” with Russia following this measure, the government source said. In April, Moscow had already announced the expulsion of around 20 German diplomats, according to the Russian authorities in retaliation for a similar measure by Berlin.
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