BERLIN, May 27. /TASS/. Moscow decided to reduce the employee limit for German institutions in Russia to 350, which will force hundreds of Germans to leave Russia before June, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported Saturday citing its sources.
The list of German citizens that will have to leave Russia includes diplomats, teachers, employees of the Goethe Institute. According to the newspaper, Russia believes that the German government sent twice as many employees to Russia than Russia sent to Germany. In this regard, the Russian Foreign Ministry decided to reduce the number of employees of German institutions and cultural organizations to about 350 people in response to Berlin’s expulsion of Russian diplomats.
"This limit, set by Russia starting in June, will require major staff reductions in all areas of our presence in Russia," the German Foreign Ministry told the newspaper.