Moscow Expels 27 Employees Of Spanish Diplomatic Missions - Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2022) Moscow expels 27 employees of the Spanish diplomatic missions as a retaliatory measure, they must leave Russia within seven days, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Spanish Ambassador to Moscow Marcos Gomez Martinez was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, and Moscow strongly protested in connection with the provocative announcement by Madrid of 27 employees of Russian foreign missions in Spain personae non gratae by Madrid.

"It is emphasized that this unfriendly step will have a negative impact on Russian-Spanish relations," the ministry said.

"As a response, 27 employees of the Spanish Embassy in Moscow and the Consulate General of Spain in St. Petersburg have been declared 'personae non gratae.' They must leave the country within seven days from the moment the corresponding note was handed to the ambassador," the ministry stressed.

On Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry also announced the expulsion of 34 employees of French diplomatic missions and 24 Italian diplomats.