Russia Expels 20 Czech Diplomats In Retaliation

The Russian Foreign Ministry has introduced the expulsion of 20 staffers of the Czech Embassy in Moscow as a retaliatory transfer towards the elimination of of 18 Russian diplomats from Prague, for allegedly being “identified as members of the Russian secret services”.

The Ministry mentioned in an announcement on Sunday that it summoned the Czech Ambassador to Russia Vitezslav Pivonka and strongly protested towards the unfriendly act of the authorities in Prague.

Pivonka was knowledgeable that these 20 individuals from the Czech Embassy should go away Russia by the top of Monday.

The Ministry additionally required the Czech Embassy to cut back the variety of regionally employed staffers to the identical degree as that of the Russian mission in Prague.

It added that the Czech authorities used “unfounded and far-fetched pretexts” to proceed their anti-Russian tirade in recent times and to please the US following the latest American sanctions towards Moscow.

In an announcement on Saturday, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Hamacek mentioned: “I decided to expel all the employees of the Russian embassy in Prague who have been clearly identified by our special services as officers of the Russian intelligence agencies SVR and GRU. Within 48 hours, 18 staff members of the Russian embassy must leave the Czech Republic.”