Russia Declares Lithuanian Charge D'Affaires Persona Non Grata - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2022) Russia declared Lithuanian Chargé d'Affaires in Russia Virginija Umbrasiene persona non grata, reserves the right to additional measures of influence depending on other unfriendly steps taken by Vilnius, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"On October 5, an employee of the Lithuanian Embassy was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, who was handed a note with a message that, in response to the unjustified expulsion of the Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Lithuania, the Charge d'Affaires of Lithuania in Russia, Virginija Umbrasiene, is being declared "persona non grata".

She was ordered to leave the territory of our country within five days," the statement says.

In addition, Russia freezes the activities of the cultural center of the Lithuanian diplomatic mission in Moscow, the ministry added.

"Depending on other unfriendly steps taken by Vilnius, we reserve the right to take additional measures of influence," the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.