Ukraine Urges Countries Worldwide to Close Russian Houses

Ukraine has officially called on governments around the world to recognize the network of Russian Houses as a threat to national security and to close their branches, according to a report by Ukrinform, Ukraine's state news agency.

Russian Houses, formally known as Russian Centers of Science and Culture, operate in numerous countries and are run under the auspices of the Russian state agency Rossotrudnichestvo. The centers are officially presented as promoting Russian language, culture and education abroad.

According to Ukrinform, Ukrainian officials argue that the network functions as more than a cultural institution and instead poses risks to the security of host nations, though the report did not detail the specific evidence or mechanisms cited by Kyiv to support this assessment.

The call forms part of Ukraine's broader diplomatic efforts since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 to press foreign governments to curtail Russian state-linked institutions and influence operations abroad.

Ukrinform's report did not specify which countries have been formally approached, nor did it indicate whether any government has responded to the appeal. Russian authorities have not been reported as commenting on the call.

Further details on the scope of the initiative, including any timeline for governments to act, were not provided in the available report.