Russia expels three Slovakian diplomats in retaliatory move

Russia states it has expelled a few Slovakian diplomats in response to a identical go by Bratislava before this month.

Bratislava experienced purchased three Russian diplomats to go away the state on March 14 for violating the “Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations”.

Slovakia’s overseas ministry had stated the conclusion was created just after officials experienced assessed data from the country’s intelligence services.

Russia experienced mentioned it would reply to the “unjustified” expulsions, which arrived amid tensions around the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

Slovakian Ambassador Ľubomír Rehák was summoned to the Russian overseas ministry on Monday and was educated of Moscow’s final decision.

“In retaliation for the expulsion in March this 12 months, [the Russian foreign ministry] resolved to declare three diplomats of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Moscow ‘persona non grata’,” a statement browse.

“They ended up purchased to leave the territory of Russia inside of 72 hrs,” it additional.

Moscow explained it experienced also “strongly protested” towards obstructing the perform of Russian diplomatic missions in Slovakia and “threats to their protected working”.

“The Ambassador was firmly warned in opposition to the new maximize in vandalism of memorials and gravesites of Soviet soldiers in Slovakia,” the ministry added.