Russia plans to reduce number of employees of German institutions to 350

Moscow has decided to reduce the number of employees of German institutions in Russia to 350, the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported on Saturday.

Report informs via TASS that among those who will have to leave are diplomats, teachers, employees of the Goethe Cultural Center (Goethe Institute). The Russian side believes the German government sent twice as many employees to the Russian Federation as Russia sent to Germany. In this regard, in April, the Russian Foreign Ministry decided to reduce the number of employees of German institutions and cultural organizations to about 350 people in a tit-for-tat measure for the expulsion of Russian diplomats by Berlin,

"This limit set by Russia since the beginning of June will require large cuts in all areas of our presence in the Russian Federation," the German Foreign Ministry said.

According to the newspaper, Berlin will try to balance the presence of the Russian Federation in Germany in response to Moscow's actions.

"As for the Russian presence in Germany, the German government will control that a real balance is maintained in practice," the Foreign Ministry said. Süddeutsche Zeitung noted that the reaction of the German side would not take long to appear after the German employees leave Russia.