Russia to Close Goethe-Institut Branches Following German Retaliation
8 sources across 5 countries
Who reported this
- Sueddeutsche Zeitung
- Frankfurter Allgemeine
- ANSA
- Corriere della Sera
- Meduza
- Novaya Gazeta Europe
- El Pais
- Kyiv Independent
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.
Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Russia will close all branches of the Goethe-Institut in response to Germany's decision to shut down the Russian House in Berlin. The Goethe-Institut, a German organization promoting language and cultural cooperation, operates locations in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk. Lavrov stated at the Eastern Economic Forum that the move is a matter of self respect and marks the end of Germany's cultural presence in the Russian Federation.
Germany's decision to close the Russian House and the Russian consulate general in Bonn followed a drone incident at Leipzig Airport in early August. German authorities identified Russia as responsible for the sabotage attempt, which involved a drone rigged with explosives found near a Ukrainian transport plane. In addition to the closures, Germany implemented tighter entry controls for Russian nationals and increased sanctions. Russia has dismissed these accusations, with Lavrov describing the German conclusions as based on speculation and conjectures.
Outlets with a center-left lean describe the closures as the end of an era for bilateral cultural relations. Some center-right outlets frame the closure of the Russian House as a necessary step to stop the spread of aggressor propaganda in Berlin, while noting that the Goethe-Institutes had already become fragile islands of freedom under Russian censorship. Center outlets focus on the diplomatic tit-for-tat and the specific accusations regarding the Leipzig drone attack.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These outlets emphasize the loss of cultural exchange and the end of a long era of bilateral relations.
- Centre
- These outlets focus on the sequence of diplomatic events and the specific accusations of sabotage.
- Centre-right
- These outlets frame the closure of the Russian House as a justified response to propaganda and state aggression.
Sources
- Centre ANSA: The Kremlin: 'Merz takes bold steps, but in a clumsy way'. Moscow closes the Goethe Institute
- Centre-right Corriere della Sera: Russian retaliation with Germany, Lavrov: "We will close Goethe-Institut offices"
- Centre-left El Pais: The Kremlin will close the Goethe Institute in response to Berlin's measures after the sabotages: "It is the end of its cultural presence in Russia"
- Centre-right Frankfurter Allgemeine: Goethe Institutes: Small islands of freedom are sinking
- Centre Kyiv Independent: Russia to shut Goethe-Institut branches in response to Germany closing Russian House
- Centre-left Meduza: Russia to close Goethe-Institut in response to Germany’s decision to shut down Russian House in Berlin
- Centre-left Novaya Gazeta Europe: Goethe-Institut branches to close in Russia in response to the cessation of «Russian House» operations in Berlin
- Centre-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung: Current lexicon: Goethe-Institut
- Centre-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung: News blog on federal politics: Goethe Institut assesses end of work in Russia as a turning point
- Centre-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung: Russia's response to sanctions: attempts at division from Moscow
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.