Russia: Germany's Consulate General Decision Will Not Go Unreacted

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Germany's decision to close four Russian consulates general will not go unanswered. The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement reminded that the German administration decided to close four Russian consulates general in the country. The statement, which emphasized that this decision was an "unfriendly" step and aimed to damage bilateral relations, included the following statements: "The Russian side categorically rejects Berlin's attempts to shift the blame from itself for the tension it constantly provokes. We once again call on the German administration to stop. It is clear that Berlin, which is pursuing a hostile policy, has lost its direction. Germany must understand that it is responsible for the damage to bilateral relations. Berlin's reckless, provocative actions will not go unanswered." German Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Christofer Burger stated in a statement today that they aim to maintain a minimum diplomatic presence in Russia and that 3 German consulates-general will be closed by the end of November, and said, "For this reason, we have decided to withdraw the operating licenses of 4 of the 5 (Russian) consulates-general operating in Germany."