The diplomats and employees at the Russian embassy in Moldova who were affected by the country’s decision to reduce the number of officials Russia can have in its capital Chisinau are leaving the republic, Ednews reports citing TASS.
According to a TASS reporter, by 7:30 a.m. local time (same as Moscow time), 45 people arrived at Chisinau International Airport to take a special flight home.
Representatives of public organizations were there to see the Russian diplomats off.
Earlier, Russian Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Vasnetsov told TASS that the Moldovan Foreign Ministry’s decision was ungrounded. The expulsion of Russian diplomats was preceded by publications in the Moldovan media and on social networks alleging that the number of antennas on the building of the Russian embassy indicated that it might be engaged in spying. Later on, Vasnetsov was summoned to the Moldovan foreign ministry for explanations.
Chisinau demanded that Russia reduce the number of its embassy’s employees to 10 diplomats and 15 administrative and technical employees by August 15, to bring them to parity with the employees of the Moldovan embassy in Moscow. Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolae Popescu explained this step by saying that Russian diplomats were suspected of being involved in "unfriendly" activities, "espionage," and attempts to destabilize the political situation in the country.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned the Moldovan side that Russia would not leave this unfriendly step unanswered.
