Politics
19:57, 30-Mar-2018
Russia summons several ambassadors, announces retaliation
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Russia's foreign ministry said on Friday it had given Britain one month to cut its diplomatic contingent in Moscow to the same size as the Russian diplomatic mission in Britain.
The ministry, in a statement, said it had summoned British ambassador to Moscow Laurie Bristow to the foreign ministry building and handed him a note about the request.
British Ambassador to Russia Laurie Bristow leaves the Russian foreign ministry
building in Moscow, Russia, March 30, 2018. /Reuters Photo
British Ambassador to Russia Laurie Bristow leaves the Russian foreign ministry building in Moscow, Russia, March 30, 2018. /Reuters Photo
It said Britain's "provocative actions" has led to the decision by multiple Western governments to expel scores of Russian diplomats from their capitals.
A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said Russia’s response was regrettable and that Moscow was in flagrant breach of international law over the attempted killing of the former spy.
Russian foreign ministry said it summoned heads of diplomatic missions from 23 countries over Skripal row on Friday. "The envoys will be handed protest notes and told about the Russian side’s retaliatory measures," the ministry said.
Confirmed expelled diplomats
Moscow has ordered the expulsion of two Dutch diplomats in retaliation for the earlier expulsion of two Russian diplomats from the Netherlands, the Dutch ambassador to Russia said on Friday.
Two Italian diplomats were also given a week to leave Russia, Italy's foreign ministry said in a statement.
According to Finnish foreign ministry, Russia will expel one Finnish diplomat from the embassy in Moscow in response to Helsinki's decision to expel one Russian diplomat.
Four Polish diplomats were also ordered to leave the country by April 7 in retaliation for Warsaw's decision to expel four Russians, said Polish foreign ministry.
On the same day, Swedish foreign ministry said Russia is expelling one Swedish diplomat in response to Swedish expulsion.
The Lithuanian foreign ministry said Russia is expelling three Lithuanian diplomats.
Czech foreign ministry says three Czech diplomats are expelled from Russia, and German foreign minister said Russia expels four German diplomats in the nerve agent poisoning dispute.
Russian foreign ministry confirmed that 13 Ukrainian diplomats are expelled.
On the other side, Georgia has ordered a Russian diplomat to leave the country within a week, joining governments in the United States and across Europe in censuring Russia over a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain.
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