Photo credit: Channel One / 1tv.ru
The Russian Consulate General in Leipzig has ceased its work, TASS reports. It is the oldest Russian consular office in Germany.
The closing ceremony took place the day before, on December, 21. The national flag was lowered to the sounds of the Russian anthem.
According to Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechaev, this year the consulate turned 240 years old. Nechaev promised that the embassy, together with compatriots living in Germany, will continue to take care of military graves located on the nearest territory.
26,000 Russian citizens were registered with the Consulate General. The ambassador assured that diplomats will make every effort to ensure that the damage done by the closure of the consulate is minimal. He hopes that common sense will sooner or later prevail and the consulate will reopen.
Last spring, Berlin decided to close the Russian Consulates General operating in Leipzig, Frankfurt am Main, Munich and Hamburg. The German Foreign Ministry said that only one Consulate General will remain in the country - it will continue to operate in Bonn. The Russian Embassy in Berlin will also continue working. German consulates in Kaliningrad, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg will also close. Only diplomatic missions in St. Petersburg and Moscow will remain open.
Russkiy Mir
