Politics
12:36, 31-Mar-2018
Graphics: Diplomats expelled over nerve agent attack
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Russia on Friday announced the expulsion of diplomats from 23 countries in a tit-for-tat response to those countries who have expelled Russian diplomats in relation to the recent UK-Russia spy scandal.
The Russian foreign ministry said it had summoned the heads of missions from 23 countries including: Australia, Albania, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Finland, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Sweden and Estonia.
Russia added that taking into account the fact that Belgium, Hungary, Georgia and Montenegro decided to join the listed countries at the last moment, Russia "reserves the right to respond" to these countries.
The ministry in a separate statement also required the UK to downsize its diplomats stationed in Russia to the same level as Russia has in Britain within a month.
On Thursday, Russia informed the US of its decision to expel 60 US diplomats and close the US consulate general in St Petersburg in retaliation to Washington's actions against Moscow earlier this week.
Until now, 29 countries and NATO have announced the expulsion of over 150 Russian diplomats over the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury on March 4.
