The exodus of German civil servants is about to begin. According to a German government source to AFP, several hundred people working in the education and culture sectors will leave Russia, at the request of the Kremlin. Moscow had already imposed on Germany to sharply reduce its diplomatic staff and public institutions, such as the Goethe Institut cultural center or the German school in Moscow, by the beginning of June, she added.
This source confirmed information revealed by the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, which speaks of a “diplomatic declaration of war from Moscow” in Berlin. Following the recent reduction of the Russian secret service presence in Germany, under pressure from Berlin, the Russian Foreign Ministry set “in April a ceiling for the number of German diplomatic personnel and public organizations” allowed to stay in Russia, the German Foreign Office is told.
The German authorities have tried in recent weeks to get the Russian ministry to reverse its decision, but without success, according to the newspaper. Therefore, German civil servants, diplomatic personnel such as consular, but above all people working in culture and education will have to pack their bags in the coming days. Berlin will not stop there and will ensure a “balance” with Russia, following this measure, according to the government source. In April, Moscow had already announced the expulsion of around twenty German diplomats, in retaliation, according to the Russian authorities, for a similar measure taken by Berlin.
