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Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service / AP /dpa
Hundreds of German civil servants have been forced to leave Russia, according to a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. To a certain extent, diplomats, but above all "cultural mediators" such as teachers at the German school in Moscow and employees of the Goethe-Institut are affected, the newspaper writes. Overall, there is talk of a three-digit number.
The Foreign Office referred to a decision made by the Russian Foreign Ministry in April. This provides for the introduction of an upper limit for the number of staff of the diplomatic missions abroad and the German intermediary organisations in Russia. "This border, which was set by Russia from the beginning of June, requires a major cut in all areas of our presence in Russia." According to the information, about 350 people are to stay.
Diplomatic escalation
The background is apparently an earlier attempt by the German government to get rid of employees of Russian intelligence services disguised as diplomats. When a double-digit number of employees finally left Germany in April, the Russian Foreign Ministry spoke of a "hostile approach by Berlin" – and announced consequences. Now Russia accuses the German government of having sent about twice as many people to Russia as vice versa.
"In view of this unilateral, unjustified and incomprehensible decision, the German government is now concerned with ensuring a minimum presence of the mediators in Russia while at the same time maintaining the diplomatic presence," the Süddeutsche Zeitung quotes the Foreign Office as saying. This is only possible if "the number of employees is reduced in all areas, in some cases considerably".
According to the Foreign Office, a possible German reaction cannot be ruled out either: "With regard to the upper limit on the Russian presence in Germany, the German government will ensure that there is a real balance in practice."