Russia Orders Closure of Romanian Consulate in St. Petersburg

June 25, 2026 The Romanian Embassy in Moscow. Anton Kardashov / Moskva News Agency Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday ordered the closure of Romania’s Consulate General in St. Petersburg and expelled its consul, a tit-for-tat move that comes after Russia’s Consulate General in the Romanian city of Constanta was closed last month following a drone crash in the country. “This step is a direct response to Bucharest’s completely groundless withdrawal of its consent to allow the operation of the Russian Consulate General in Constanta,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. In May, Romania declared the Russian consul in Constanta persona non grata as retaliation for what it said was a Russian drone crashing into an apartment in the eastern part of the country, near the border with Ukraine. A woman and a child were injured in that incident. Days later, 56 UN members jointly denounced Russia over the drone crash, calling it “unacceptable.” President Vladimir Putin suggested the drone may be Ukrainian and accused Romania of jumping to conclusions. On Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it summoned Romanian Ambassador Cristian Istrate to formally notify him that Gheorghe Nicolae Pahonea, Romania’s consul in St. Petersburg, has been declared persona non grata, and that the consulate must close. Read more about: Romania , Foreign Ministry , St. Petersburg Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Expels Romanian Military Attache in Tit-for-Tat Move Bucharest said last month that it would expel two Russian diplomats over allegations of “interference” in the country’s politics. 1 Min read ‘Uncultured’ Muscovites' Parkour Statue Stunts Spark Outrage in St. Petersburg “You can’t behave like this in St. Petersburg.” St. Petersburg's Surrounding Region Faces Sputnik V Shortages – Reports Just 975 Sputnik V doses remain in the entire Leningrad region, which has a population of roughly 2 million, local media reported. opinion Vladimir Frolov How Terror Attacks Gift Russia Foreign Policy Opportunity Russia has waged a war on terror at home and abroad. But when Moscow calls for joining forces with the West to combat global terrorism, it inevitably pursues...