DID Press: Russia has expelled two Italian diplomats in a retaliatory move after Italy previously removed two Russian diplomats over alleged espionage-related activities, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Moscow announced that the Italian embassy’s military attaché and an assistant had been declared “undesirable persons” and given three days to leave Russian territory.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the decision was a direct response to Italy’s recent expulsion of two Russian diplomats, whom Italian authorities accused of involvement in activities linked to espionage.
Diplomatic tensions between Russia and European countries have intensified since the start of the war in Ukraine, with Moscow and European governments repeatedly expelling each other’s diplomats in recent years.