Moldova has ordered 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff to leave “over numerous unfriendly actions”, officials said Wednesday, with tensions between the two countries running high.
Moldova’s pro-EU government has firmly condemned Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and alleged a Russian plot to overthrow the current government.
An investigation by Moldovan media outlets Jurnal TV and The Insider published this week charged that 28 antennas on Russia’s embassy in Chisinau and an adjacent building could be used for spying.
“Forty-five diplomats and technical staff will have to leave before August 15th,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Igor Zaharov told AFP.
Following the decision, “there will be fewer individuals who are trying to destabilise the situation in our country,” Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu told a cabinet meeting.
The Kremlin vowed retaliatory measures.
“This is a continuation of the unfriendly line of the country’s leadership towards our country,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said.
“We can only regret it,” he added.
Russia’s diplomatic corps will consist of 10 positions with 15 administrative, technical and service jobs “based on the principle of parity”, Moldova’s foreign ministry said.
“This decision comes as a result of numerous unfriendly actions towards the Republic of Moldova… as well as attempts to destabilise the internal situation in our country,” it said, adding that Russia’s ambassador to Chisinau was summoned on Wednesday.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Moldova has so far expelled two Russian diplomats, according to Zaharov.
The country of 2.6 million people is located between Ukraine and EU member Romania.
(AFP)
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