Russia Orders Closure of German Consulate in St. Petersburg

Russia has revoked the license of the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg and ordered it to cease operations by September 18, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said the move was made in response to what it described as 'unfriendly actions' by Germany, including the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin, The Caspian Post reports. According to the statement, Russia announced the measures to Germany's chargé d'affaires in Moscow on September 7. The German consulate in St. Petersburg must end its operations no later than September 18, while all of its employees are required to leave Russia by the same date.