St. petersburg: Russian authorities closed the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg on Friday, lowering the German flag and removing German symbols and emblems from the consulate building.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the closure of the consulate was in accordance with a previous Russian decision, with the German Embassy in Moscow assuming its consular functions.

This move comes as part of reciprocal measures between Moscow and Berlin, following Germany’s decision to close the Russian consulate in Bonn, amid escalating tensions in relations between the two countries.