Russia shuts Goethe centres as Germany escalates hybrid attack row

Russia said on Thursday it will close German cultural centres on its territory, in a retaliatory move that adds to rising tensions between Moscow and European countries backing Ukraine against the Kremlin's 4 1/2-year-old invasion. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Germany's Goethe-Institut centres in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg would be shut after Berlin moved against Russian facilities in Germany.

The announcement came after Germany blamed Moscow for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4. An explosives-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian plane at the airport, a major international freight hub used to support Ukraine, and was later defused.

Earlier on Thursday, several incendiary devices were thrown at a construction site in Munich near a building housing several companies, including firms from the defence sector. Police said there was a brief fire with no significant damage. Two Bulgarian nationals were arrested, though police said their suspected involvement had not been confirmed.