Russians urged to refrain from traveling to Germany
Photo: Maria Zakharova (Getty Images)
Moscow has issued a call urging its citizens to refrain from traveling to one of the EU countries. The statement comes amid high-profile incidents and was accompanied by commentary on the situation in Europe and around Ukraine, according to Russian media.
At a briefing on December 25, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova made a series of statements regarding travel by Russian citizens abroad.
Particular attention was given to Germany, where, according to the Russian side, an unfavorable situation is developing for Russian nationals.
Recommendation to avoid travel to Germany
Russians were urged not to travel to Germany unless necessary. The statement was also circulated by Russian state-aligned media.
"In Germany, there is ongoing, unjustified persecution of Russian citizens and compatriots by government officials. We strongly urge citizens of our country to refrain from traveling to Germany without necessity. The relevant recommendations have been published on the official resources of the ministry and Russia’s foreign missions," Zakharova said at the December 25 briefing.
She added that the recommendations may also apply to journalists sent to Germany, where, according to her, there are existing problems.
Context and additional remarks
The statements were made against the backdrop of recent incidents involving Russians in Germany who were suspected of violating sanctions.
During the same briefing, comments were also made about the war against Ukraine. Zakharova claimed that Europe is not oriented toward a peaceful settlement and dismissed rhetoric within NATO about a possible blockade of Russia’s Kaliningrad region as "nonsense."
Germany is currently discussing expanding the powers of its Federal Intelligence Service, which would allow it not only to gather information but also to conduct active operations abroad, including cyberattacks and sabotage. The move is linked to Berlin’s preparations for a potential confrontation with Russia, which German authorities view as a key national security threat.
Germany’s Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) has also reported a sharp increase in the activity of foreign intelligence services on German territory, primarily from Russia. According to its 2024 report, attempts to obtain data on the size of the Bundeswehr, its weapons, command structure, and troop deployment decisions have risen significantly, indicating growing foreign intelligence interest in Germany’s military infrastructure and heightened national security risks.
