The Russian authorities is kicking a number of German diplomats in another country in an alleged tit-for-tat transfer, its international ministry stated on Saturday.
“The German authorities have selected yet one more mass expulsion of staff of Russian diplomatic missions in Germany. We strongly condemn these actions of Berlin, which continues to defiantly destroy your complete array of Russian-German relations,” the ministry stated in a assertion, arguing that Germany’s actions had been “hostile.”
The international affairs ministry didn’t specify what number of diplomats it could expel, though ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova advised state-run tv Zvezda that Moscow had determined to expel “greater than 20,” based on AFP.
Russia stated it took the choice in response to Germany ordering a “mass expulsion” of Russian diplomats, with out specifying additional particulars. The German international ministry confirmed to German outlet Deutschlandfunk solely that it had been involved with Russian authorities concerning personnel questions.
Germany had been knowledgeable of the transfer initially of the month, the Russian international ministry added within the assertion.
For the reason that struggle in Ukraine started, tensions between Moscow and Berlin have elevated. In April final 12 months, the German authorities expelled some 40 Russian diplomats from the nation.
