On 4 September at 18:30, a performance protest involving moving boxes will take place at the junction of Friedrichstraße and Taubenstraße outside the Russian House in Berlin, to help the institution “move out”. This is reported by the civic organisation Viche.
“Time to pack up! The Russian House is closing — so we’ll help with the move. Bring a moving box and join us,” Viche said.
This will be a counter-action initiated by the Ukrainian civic organisation Viche. On the evening of 4 September, a rally by Russian activists is also planned outside the building. It is due to take place at the initiative of the Berlin branch of the pro-Russian BSW party (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) in Berlin.
Both events come against the backdrop of an official statement by Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the closure of the Russian House in Berlin and Russia’s Consulate General in Bonn following the hybrid attack on 4 August in Leipzig, which Germany believes Russia was involved in.
About the Russian House:
- it officially operates as a cultural centre;
- it is run by the Russian state agency Rossotrudnichestvo, which is subordinate to Russia’s Foreign Ministry;
- it is considered a cover for Russian espionage;
- the WDR television channel and the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper have reported on French documents that point to such a likely link.