Russia Plans 11 More Overseas Cultural Centers After Berlin’s Russian House Closes

Russia says it plans to open 11 more cultural centers abroad after Germany ended the agreement allowing the Russian House to operate in Berlin.

Igor Chaika, head of Russia’s Rossotrudnichestvo cooperation agency, said agreements had been signed for eight centers in African countries, two in Armenia and one in Thailand. The Armenian projects come despite current tensions between Moscow and Yerevan.

“Families go through different things, but they remain families,” Chaika said when discussing the relationship between Russia and Armenia. The article also notes that tens of thousands of Russians who moved to Armenia in recent years say political tensions have not affected how they are treated there, where most of the population speaks Russian.

Germany said the closure of the Berlin center followed a series of security incidents. On Aug. 4, authorities found a drone carrying an explosive charge at Leipzig airport. Ten days later, they found another drone and explosives after a suspected collision involving a DHL cargo aircraft. Germany blamed Russia for what it called a hybrid attack.

Berlin also announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn from Sept. 18, among other measures, and summoned the Russian ambassador. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Germany had no evidence against Moscow and linked Berlin’s accusations to the country’s difficult domestic political situation ahead of elections. Russia later announced the closure of Germany’s consulate general in St. Petersburg and Goethe-Institut branches in the country.

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Families go through different things, but they remain families.