Russia expels 10 diplomats from Baltic states in tit-for-tat move

Moscow retaliates lower than two weeks after Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania expelled a complete of 10 Russian diplomats.

Russia's overseas ministry complains to the three nations' envoys concerning the 'provocative' actions taken in opposition to its diplomats [File: Alexander Nemenov/AFP]

Russia has introduced the expulsion of 10 diplomats from the three Baltic states in a tit-for-tat response, together with three diplomats every from Estonia and Latvia, and 4 from Lithuania.

The transfer got here on Tuesday, lower than two weeks after the three Baltic nations expelled a complete of 10 Russian diplomats in a coordinated motion earlier this month.

Latvia mentioned the Russian diplomats’ actions had been at odds with their diplomatic standing and that the choice to expel them had additionally taken under consideration Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s overseas ministry mentioned in its assertion on Tuesday that it had referred to as within the ambassadors of the three nations to complain about what it described because the “provocative” and “groundless” motion taken in opposition to its diplomats.

Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have been all as soon as a part of the Soviet Union and at the moment are members of each NATO and the European Union. They've strongly backed Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its actions in Ukraine.

On Monday, Russia expelled three Slovak diplomats in a tit-for-tat transfer after Bratislava expelled three Russian diplomats for espionage earlier this month.

Additionally on Monday, North Macedonia expelled 5 Russian diplomats, saying they violated diplomatic norms.

There was a string of comparable strikes made by the US, Poland and Bulgaria earlier this month.

Exterior view of the Russian Embassy in Riga, Latvia [File: Toms Kalnins/EPA]