MOSCOW, October 8 (HS/RIA Novosti) - Germany has set a course for the full-scale destruction of Russian-German ties that have been built over centuries, Russian Ambassador in Berlin Sergey Nechayev said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“After the proclamation of the so-called 'change of eras,' the German authorities set a course for the full-scale destruction of Russian-German ties that had been built over centuries,” Nechayev said when asked about the threat of a complete severance of diplomatic relations between Russia and Germany after the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin.

The Russian ambassador said the German side used an absurd accusation against Russia as a pretext for closing Russian facilities in Germany.

If, a few years ago, I had been asked whether I considered it hypothetically possible for the German side to close all five of our country's consulates general in Germany and the Russian House in Berlin, to expel hundreds of Russian mission staff and their family members, and to obstruct the work of the Russian diplomatic mission, not to mention the German leadership openly preparing for an 'imminent war' with Russia, I would have said sincerely that it was impossible, Nechayev said.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said September 1 that Germany would close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn on September 18 and terminate the agreement on the operation of the Russian House in Berlin.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced retaliatory measures in response to Germany's unfriendly actions. It said Goethe Institute branches in Russia must cease operations, and their staff were ordered to leave the country no later than September 13. The German Consulate General in St. Petersburg closed September 18.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar