SEVERAL EUROPEAN STATES EXPEL RUSSIAN ENVOYS OVER ‘ESPIONAGE’

On March 24, a group of Czech activists held a protest in front of the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic and doused the entrance to the building with artificial blood.

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Tue 29 March 2022:

Several European countries have announced the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats suspected of spying, in what appears to be a coordinated response to Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.

The Netherlands said that it was dismissing 17 Russian intelligence personnel posing as diplomats. Belgium announced the expulsion of 21 Russian diplomats from the embassy.

Four senior Russian diplomats were ordered to leave Ireland because their actions were not “in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behavior.”

One Russian diplomat was given 72 hours to depart the Czech Republic.

The expulsions come as relations between Russia and the West have come to a halt as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Last week, Poland expelled 45 Russians who were identified by the authorities as intelligence personnel using their diplomatic position as a cover to operate in the country.

In response for the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania expelling Russian diplomats earlier this month, Russia expelled a total of ten diplomats from the European Union’s three Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on Tuesday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that four Lithuanian diplomats, three Latvians, and three Estonians would have their accreditations revoked and would be compelled to leave the country.

In a coordinated step in support of Ukraine, the three Baltic countries ordered the expulsion of ten Russian embassy staff members on March 18.

Moscow slammed the measure as “provocative and entirely baseless”.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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