Espionage: Russia in turn expels Italian diplomat in a position to retaliate

2021-04-28T01:35:36.729Z

Russia announced Monday April 26 the expulsion of an Italian diplomat in retaliation for " unfriendly and unjustified actions " of Rome, which had expelled at the end of March two Russian officials for a spy case. According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the naval attaché at the Italian embassy in Moscow has been declared " persona non grata " and must leave the territory within

Russia announced Monday April 26 the expulsion of an Italian diplomat in retaliation for "

unfriendly and unjustified actions

" of Rome, which had expelled at the end of March two Russian officials for a spy case.

According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the naval attaché at the Italian embassy in Moscow has been declared "

persona non grata

" and must leave the territory within 24 hours.

This decision was served on the ambassador, summoned to the ministry.

Read also: Diplomatic crisis between Moscow and Prague

Moscow justified this measure by the "

unfriendly and unjustified actions of the Italian authorities against the office of the military attaché of the Russian embassy in Rome

". Italy reacted immediately by denouncing a Russian decision "

without foundation and unjust

", taken "

in retaliation for a legitimate measure by the Italian authorities in defense of their own security

". Rome had expelled at the end of March two Russian officials after the arrest in flagrante delicto of an officer of the Italian navy who gave a Russian soldier "

secret

documents

against a sum of money. The Italian officer had been arrested, while the Russian soldier was protected by his diplomatic status.

Russia and the West have increased the number of cross-expulsions of diplomats in recent weeks, amid heightened tensions around Ukraine and the case of the imprisoned opponent Alexeï Navalny. Moscow and Washington notably expelled ten diplomats each and their ambassadors returned to their respective countries "

for consultations.

". The Czech Republic for its part expelled 18 Russian diplomats presented as spies, also accusing Moscow of being behind the explosion of an ammunition depot in 2014 which killed two people. Moscow retaliated by asking 20 Czech diplomats to leave its territory, after which the two countries downsized opposing embassies respectively. Several European countries have announced expulsions in solidarity with the Czech Republic. Romania has announced that it will expel Alexey Grichaev, diplomat and deputy military attaché at the Russian embassy in Bucharest. He was "

declared persona non grata in view of his activities and actions contrary to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

", According to a press release from the ministry. Slovakia and the Baltic countries also announced in the wake of the expulsion of a total of seven Russian diplomats.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-04-28