Russia expels 2 employees of Czech embassy in reciprocal move

Two employees of the Czech embassy in Moscow have been declared personae non gratae and must leave Russia by June 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday. The ministry summoned the Czech ambassador earlier in the day.

The Russian embassy in Prague received a note from the Czech Foreign Ministry on June 5, informing it of the expulsion of two Russian diplomats from the Czech Republic.

Earlier, Czech PM Andrej Babis declared the diplomats personae non gratae. He claimed that one of the employees of the Russian embassy had sent fake information to Czech intelligence about a planned attack on Czech politicians, TASS reported.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said at that time that Prague’s actions would be followed by a tit-for-tat response, and that they will be taken into account when forming Russian policy regarding the Czech Republic. The diplomatic row followed the dismantling of a statue in Prague to Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev, who led the liberation of the city from Nazi forces during World War II.