Story perspectives

Germany orders Russia consulate closures after retaliatory expulsion

By Drooid · Sep 13, 2026, 10:37 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Germany Orders Closures

Germany ordered closure of Russia’s consulate in Bonn and Russian House cultural center in Berlin by Sept. 18.
Russia retaliated by ordering closure of the German consulate in St. Petersburg and Goethe-Institut branches in Russia by Sept. 13.
Investigators named Belarusian Andrei Ka. as drone pilot and Russian Oleg Le. as logistics coordinator in Aug. 4 attack.
Le., linked to Russia’s GRU, entered Germany via Turkey and traveled through Serbia to prepare the attack.

Summary

Germany Overlooked Spy

German authorities knew the GRU-linked suspect entered from Turkey but did not surveil him.
DNA on the drone’s remote matched material from the July 20, 2024 DHL arson attack in Leipzig.
Forensic evidence suggests explosives were smuggled in trucks via Bulgaria and Serbia and stored underground.
A BfV domestic intelligence spokeswoman declined comment, citing the investigation’s confidentiality.
Passenger flights between Russia and Germany have remained suspended since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

History

Historical Context

On 4 March 2018 the UK identified a Novichok nerve agent in the Salisbury poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, prompting Prime Minister Theresa May to expel 23 Russian diplomats on 14 March. The move sparked a coordinated response—over 150 Russian officers were expelled worldwide, the largest collective purge in history—mirroring earlier Russian poisonings and deepening East-West tensions.

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Germany Orders Closures

Germany ordered closure of Russia’s consulate in Bonn and Russian House cultural center in Berlin by Sept. 18.
Russia retaliated by ordering closure of the German consulate in St. Petersburg and Goethe-Institut branches in Russia by Sept. 13.
Investigators named Belarusian Andrei Ka. as drone pilot and Russian Oleg Le. as logistics coordinator in Aug. 4 attack.
Le., linked to Russia’s GRU, entered Germany via Turkey and traveled through Serbia to prepare the attack.

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