The Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on Friday announced the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats over the invasion of Ukraine, prompting Moscow to say it would respond in kind. “Latvia expels three Russian embassy staff in view of activities contrary to their diplomatic status and the ongoing Russian offensive in Ukraine,” Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkeviks tweeted.
“The decision has been coordinated with Lithuania and Estonia,” he said. Estonia’s foreign ministry said it had declared three Russian diplomats non grata for violating international conventions on diplomatic relations.
“All three have directly and actively undermined Estonia’s security and spread propaganda justifying Russian military action,” it said in a statement. Lithuania’s foreign ministry meanwhile announced that it had declared four Russian embassy employees non grata, “a step in solidarity with Ukraine”.
“Russia’s military attacks on civilians, civilian objects, hospitals, schools, maternity wards and cultural objects are a war crime and a crime against humanity,” it said in a statement. “Russian special services are actively involved in military planning and execution. The invasion of Ukraine poses a threat not only to Ukraine’s but also to the security of Lithuania.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova hit back on Telegram, saying “there will be a similar response to all unreasonable removals of Russian diplomats”. Earlier on Friday, Bulgaria’s foreign ministry announced the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats.
The EU member said he violated international conventions on diplomatic relations, which are often used by the ministry to designate espionage. Sofia had already expelled two Russian diplomats earlier this month for similar reasons.
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