BERLIN — On a rainy Friday evening in Germany’s capital, hundreds of people gathered to protest the government’s announcement that it was terminating the lease of the Russian House, a Russian cultural center owned and operated by Moscow. Demonstrators called on the government to reverse its decision, end its “russophobia” and stop what they called its constant “aggression” toward Russia. “It’s the only place left for cultural exchange,” a protester told The Moscow Times, declining to give their name.

Russia said Monday it would shut down Germany’s consulate in St. Petersburg in a reciprocal measure, underscoring the continued strain in relations...

The tit-for-tat reaction comes after Germany said it is shutting down Russia's consulate in Bonn and its cultural center in Berlin.