Russia to close German cultural centers as Moscow and Europe spar over Ukraine

In Finland on Thursday, more than 2,000 people took part in the biggest civil defense exercise in Europe since the end of World War II. Among the threats envisaged were missile strikes from neighboring Russia.

Meanwhile, Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard on Wednesday at the request of Ukraine’s Naftogaz. The seizure was part of a global effort to enforce a $4.22 billion arbitration award and comes after a European push to seize vessels belonging to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, which officials say contravenes international sanctions.

Russia says German cultural presence is over

Lavrov said that cultural centers belonging to Germany’s Goethe-Institut would be closed in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, adding that any other response would show a lack of “self-respect” on Russia’s part.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Lavrov said that Germany “could not have failed to understand” that the closure of Russian House would “signify the end of their cultural presence in Russia.”

A drone laden with explosives was found near a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Aug. 4 and later defused. The airport is a major international freight hub used for providing support to Ukraine.

Putin has dismissed the allegations, saying Berlin wants to distract from its own failings and dissatisfaction among voters. Any proof being offered “has been planted,” Putin said.

EU looks to respond after attempted attack

European Union ministers on Wednesday weighed how best to respond to the attempted drone attack but struggled to find new ways to meet the challenge without resorting to military means.

“It is clear that it has all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism. The question is: what do we do about this,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters before chairing a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Ireland. They discussed sanctions, visa restrictions and shutting Russian consulates, among other measures.

The EU has slapped almost two dozen packages of sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, hitting more than 3,000 officials, oligarchs and entities including banks, energy companies and drone makers. The EU was already preparing to impose more travel bans and asset freezes on another 1,600 people, Kallas said.

Germany insisted it was “not at war” but had become a “daily target” of the Kremlin’s hybrid campaign. Putin dismissed the allegations, saying Berlin wants to distract from its own failings and dissatisfaction among voters. Any proof being offered “has been planted,” Putin said.

But German Foreign Minister Johan Wadephul said Berlin had carefully prepared its response “and now Russia must live with these consequences.” He called on Russia “to show that it is also ready for reasonable talks and negotiations, particularly regarding the situation in Ukraine.”

Denmark sounds alarm about Russian sabotage plans

Danish security services are warning that Russian acts of sabotage against the country’s defense industry may be imminent.

Danish intelligence services have seen signs of very specific planning by Russia to conduct sabotage operations in the country, Emil Græsholm, head of counterintelligence at the Danish national security and intelligence service PET, told the Berlingske newspaper in an interview published Thursday.

The targets are primarily companies in the defense industry and especially those associated with delivering military components to Ukraine, he said.

Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Leipzig/Halle Airport incident was “a very serious act that could have very grave consequences.”

But he said the threats aren’t discouraging Italy from providing further help to Kyiv as Rome weighs whether to send SAMP/T air defense batteries. As in other Western countries, weapons production capacity is hampering efforts to supply more to Ukraine, he said.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

Russia to close German cultural centers as Moscow and Europe spar over Ukraine

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