Cultural Wars in the Shadows of Conflict The latest salvo in the diplomatic standoff between Germany and Russia has been fired by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who announced that Goethe Institut cultural centers across Russia would be closed.
At first glance, this appears to be just another skirmish in the escalating tensions between Moscow and Berlin. However, scratch beneath the surface, and it's clear that more is at play than just cultural politics.
Lavrov's assertion that Germany's decision to shut down a Russian consulate in Bonn and a cultural center in Berlin represents "the end of their cultural presence in Russia" rings hollow.