The Russian government will close Goethe-Institut branches, Germany's international cultural institutes, across the country, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.
Lavrov said the move was in response to Germany's planned closure of the Russian House in Berlin, according to the Interfax news agency.
The German government announced the closure after an explosive-laden drone was found at Leipzig airport. Berlin has blamed Russia for the attempted attack.
The Goethe-Institut has its main Russian branch in Moscow as well as cultural centres in St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg.
"Of course they will be closed after our cultural centre was expelled
from there [from Berlin]," Lavrov said, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Germany was knowingly accepting that the move against the Russian House would effectively mark the end of its cultural presence in Russia, he said.
Despite all the tensions with the West over Russia's war against Ukraine, the institute had been able to continue operating, Lavrov said. The Goethe-Institut is one of the last German institutions still operating in Russia.
Russia has declared numerous foundations and organizations "undesirable," effectively banning them from operating.
The previous day, the Russian Foreign Ministry had summoned the chargé d'affaires of the German Embassy in Moscow to protest Berlin's sanctions following the discovery of a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The ministry said the diplomat had been summoned over Berlin's anti-Russian actions and statements by the German leadership.
The Russian side rejected what it described as unfounded allegations of Russian involvement in the incident at Leipzig airport, according to a statement issued after the meeting. Berlin was engaging in an open provocation aimed at undermining Russian-German relations, the statement said, warning that the German government's actions would be met with a tough response.
Russia has announced further countermeasures. Among the possible steps is the closure of the German consulate general in St Petersburg. The two sides have previously closed each other's consulates as part of sanctions measures.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul this week blamed Russia for the drone incident in early August and announced punitive measures. Wadephul said the Russian consulate in Bonn, among other measures, was to be closed.