Moscow’s reaction to Austria’s decision to expel 2 Russian diplomats

According to the report of the international group Tasnim news agency quoting “Interfax” news agency, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced last night that after Austria’s decision to expel two Russian diplomats, Moscow will take retaliatory measures.

This diplomat said: “Russia will give an appropriate response to this action by Vienna.”

The dismissal of several employees of the Russian embassy in Vienna was revealed yesterday. According to “De Presse” newspaper, this decision was taken “due to the incompatibility of the actions of these people with their diplomatic status”. According to this information, following the expulsion of several employees of the Russian embassy in Vienna last year, the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed two other Russian diplomats this week that they will be expelled “due to the incompatibility of their actions with their diplomatic status”.

It has been announced that both Russian diplomats must leave Austria before March 19.

Russian Embassy: Austria’s decision to expel Russian diplomats is political

The Russian Embassy in Austria, in response to this issue, evaluated the decision of the country’s authorities to expel Russian diplomats as a political and baseless action.

A telegram from the Russian diplomatic mission in Vienna stated: This is a purely political decision by the Austrian authorities and we firmly do not accept it. It is recalled that no valid reason or proof of violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations was presented to the Russian Embassy.

In this statement, it is emphasized: “There can be no doubt in Moscow’s decisive response to this hostile act, and the responsibility for the further destruction of bilateral relations rests entirely with the authorities in Vienna.”

In April 2022, Austria declared and expelled four Russian diplomats as “undesirable elements”. According to Ambassador Dmitry Lubinsky, Vienna had not provided any evidence of illegal activity by its diplomats.

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