Moscow: Russian authorities said on Tuesday that it was expelling three Swedish diplomats in a tit-for-tat move after Stockholm expelled three Russian diplomats over the conflict in Ukraine, Khaleej Times reported.
Russia’s foreign ministry said that it summoned the Swedish ambassador to Russia and “strongly protested” the Sweden’s move of expelling Russian diplomats and Sweden’s “military support to the Kyiv regime”.
Russia also accused Sweden of “covering up the crimes of Ukrainian nationalists against the civilian population of Donbas and Ukraine,” referring to a region in eastern Ukraine, parts of which are controlled by pro-Russia separatists.
Therefore, Russia decided to declare persona non grata three diplomats of the Swedish embassy in Russia,” the ministry said.
Earlier this month, Sweden said it was expelling three Russian diplomats who conducted “illegal operations” there, following similar moves by other EU allies.
