Russia expels 1 Austrian diplomat in retaliatory move

MOSCOW

In a tit-for-tat move, Russia on Thursday declared an employee of the Austrian Embassy in Moscow “persona non grata.”

In a statement, the ministry said that it summoned Austrian Ambassador Werner Almhofer and handed him a diplomatic note.

The expelled diplomat has been ordered to leave Russia within a week.

The ministry said that the move came in response to the expulsion of two Russian diplomats from Austria.

"This unfriendly step further aggravates bilateral relations that are in crisis at the initiative of the Austrian side, and causes serious damage to the authority of Austria, which has positioned itself as a neutral state and a platform for international diplomacy," the ministry said.


It emphasized that the expulsion of the diplomat was only a part of the retaliatory measures.