Ukraine urges countries to restrict or shut down Russian Houses
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said Kyiv has formally addressed governments around the world to restrict or completely shut down the activities of so-called Russian Houses Russian Houses are cultural centres established in other countries to promote Russia's language and culture and Russian education. They also serve as platforms for Russian state propaganda and soft power .
Source: Sybiha on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda
Quote: "Ukraine has officially addressed governments across the globe to recognise the threat for their national security posed by this network. We provided arguments for limiting their operations and closing them entirely."
Details: Sybiha warned that Russia is waging a global battle for influence through an extensive network of organisations and channels, including Rossotrudnichestvo (Russian Cooperation), a Russian government agency responsible for civilian foreign aid, cultural diplomacy and soft-power initiatives abroad, and the so-called Russian House cultural centres. He said they effectively serve as instruments of disinformation, destabilisation and espionage.
Quote: "We commend the measures the authorities took across Europe to block these networks including Germany, where Russian House was closed yesterday in Berlin after years of malign influence.
Our shared European home is not the place for 'Russian houses' promoting war propaganda and actively working to shatter peace in Europe."
More details: Sybiha said, however, that some of these centres of disinformation continue to operate in at least seven European countries.
Background:
- On 1 September, Germany directly accused Russia of carrying out a hybrid attack at Leipzig Airport in early August and announced retaliatory measures, including the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul summoned the Russian ambassador, as did authorities in a number of other European capitals.
- Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs threatened Berlin with a "fitting response" and summoned Germany's chargé d'affaires in Moscow.
- Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered Germany's consulate general in St Petersburg to close by 18 September. Its staff were also told to leave the country.
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