17 countries send 129 Russian diplomats due to Skriple poisoning

NATO countries and partners are expelling more than 100 Russian diplomats due to the Skripal case. The exact number of Russian diplomats who will be expelled is not named, but according to some media reports, we are talking about 129 diplomats from 16 European countries, as well as from the U.S..

The White House noted that this was done in response to Russia's use of chemical weapons in the UK.

Croatia

Croatia announced the expulsion from the country of a Russian diplomat.

“The Republic of Croatia is one of 14 countries that today during the day will declare one accredited diplomat persona non grata,” said Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Italy

Italy announced the expulsion of two Russian diplomats.

“As a sign of solidarity with Great Britain, the Foreign Ministry informs about the expulsion of two representatives of the Russian Embassy in Rome,” the Italian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Latvia

Latvia will expel one of the Russian Embassy employees and one of the Aeroflot airline employees.

“The main topic and reason for my visit to the Foreign Ministry was the decision to declare one diplomatic employee of the Russian Embassy in Latvia persona non grata; he was ordered to leave the territory of Latvia within seven days. At the same time, but outside the scope of this conversation, we received information that today a notification was received about the need to leave the territory of Latvia early for the Aeroflot representative in this country,” said Russian Ambassador to Latvia Evgeny Lukyanov following a visit to the Latvian Foreign Ministry.

Finland

Finland will send one employee of the Russian Embassy.

“The President and the Government Ministerial Commission on Foreign and Security Policy decided that the country will expel one official with diplomatic status who works at the Russian Embassy,” the government said.

Romania

Romania decided to send a Russian diplomat.

“As a sign of solidarity with the UK and in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, we have informed the Russian Embassy that one diplomat will be declared persona non grata,” the Romanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko announced the decision to expel 13 Russian diplomats.

“In response to the cynical chemical attack in Salisbury, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, in the spirit of solidarity with our British partners and transatlantic allies and in coordination with EU countries, decided to expel 13 Russian diplomats from the few remaining from Ukrainian territory. Because, as you know, our diplomatic relations with Russia are de facto frozen,” Poroshenko wrote on Facebook.

Moscow reaction

The Russian Foreign Ministry protested the expulsion of diplomats.

“We consider this step as unfriendly and not consistent with the objectives and interests of establishing the causes and finding those responsible for the incident that occurred on March 4. A provocative gesture of notorious solidarity with London from these countries, which followed the lead of the British authorities in the so-called. “The Skripal case” and those who did not bother to understand the circumstances of what happened is a continuation of the confrontational line to escalate the situation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Last week, at a meeting in Brussels, the leaders of the EU states and governments decided to withdraw from Moscow for consultations the EU ambassador to Russia Marcus Ederer after poisoning of the former GRU colonel Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in English Salisbury.

Sergey Skripal and his daughter were poisoned on March 4 and are now in intensive care. Severe poisoning also received a British policeman.

Moscow categorically denies involvement in the poisoning. Russian officials say the toxic substance Novichok was never produced in Russia and accuse Britain of failing to cooperate with Russia in investigating the crime.

On March 12, British Prime Minister Theresa May blamed Russia for the poisoning of ex-GRU officer Skripal, giving the Kremlin an ultimatum: Russian authorities had to explain within 36 hours whether the use of the Novichok chemical agent in Salisbury was the result of “direct actions” of the Russian state.” or “as a result of loss of control over stocks of such substances.”

When the term of the ultimatum expired, and the answer was never received, May announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the UK to 23, as well as the tightening of legislation relating to espionage. Britain also appealed to the UN Security Council, raising the question of the use of chemical weapons by Russia on its territory, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, of which Russia is a member, claiming that Russia had not destroyed its stockpiles of chemical weapons, which it had to do for another twenty years backwards

In response, Russia announced the expulsion of British diplomats 23.

Read also on ForumDaily:

US closes Russian consulate in Seattle and expel 60 diplomats

Russia says it can prove US development of Novichok gas

In Britain, proposed a new version of the poisoning of Skripal

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