The German foreign ministry reports that hundreds of Germans employed in the cultural and educational fields will be deported from Russia beginning next month.
They include the Goethe Institute cultural organisation’s personnel and the German school teachers in Moscow.
The action comes after reciprocal diplomat expulsions and deteriorating ties between Russia and Germany.
Last month, 40 staffers of each country’s embassy were declared personae non gratae, or undesirable, and were sent home.
According to the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, the most recent change will impact a “low-to-mid three-digit number” of staff, including diplomats.
The German foreign ministry was quoted in the newspaper as saying, “Given this unilateral, unjustified and incomprehensible decision, the Federal Government is now concerned with ensuring a minimum presence of intermediaries in Russia while also maintaining a diplomatic presence.”
Russian ambassadors have been removed from several EU nations since the conflict in Ukraine first broke out. In March 2022, four EU countries issued expulsion orders for more than 40 diplomats allegedly eavesdropping.
Deep economic and cultural ties that once existed between Germany and Russia have strained due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, transformed Germany’s foreign policy in a matter of days by increasing military spending and pledging to deploy weapons directly to Ukraine.
Mr Scholz fulfilled his commitment. Germany faced accusations from Russia that it was surrendering its “historical responsibility to Russia” resulting from Nazi crimes during World War Two when it announced in January that it would deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
By frantically purchasing gas from other nations and constructing its first LNG import terminal in record time, Germany also made a significant effort to reduce its reliance on Russian gas.
The existing connections between Russia and Germany are expected to become even more strained due to the expulsion of diplomats and workers in the fields of culture and education.
