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Germany’s shutdown of consulates part of course to cut relations with Moscow — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that "Berlin deliberately complicates consular service for hundreds of thousands of Russian nationals living in Germany"

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

MOSCOW, December 1. /TASS/. Germany shut down its consulates general in Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Kaliningrad within its course towards the cessation of Russian-German diplomatic relations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in her commentary.

"It is perfectly obvious that the German authorities undertake these actions in accordance with the German government’s policy, aimed at cessation of the entire complex of Russian-German relations, including the minimization of interaction in the diplomatic dimension," she noted.

The spokeswoman noted that "Berlin deliberately complicates consular service for hundreds of thousands of Russian nationals living in Germany," which will be available only in the Russian embassy in Berlin and the Russian consulate general in Bonn starting next year.

"We take measures for maximum mitigation of difficulties that German authorities create both for our citizens and to Germans interested in maintaining contacts with our country," Zakharova concluded.

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Foreign policy Germany Maria Zakharova

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