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Spy row worsens as Russia expels diplomats from 23 countries

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Spy row worsens as Russia expels diplomats from 23 countries

The row over the poisoning of a former spy Sergei Sripal and his daughter Yulia in Britain is boiling over after Russian authorities expelled 59 diplomats from 23 countries in retaliation for a wave of ejections of Russian officials around the world.

Reports say before carrying out the order, Russian authorities summoned senior envoys from most of the countries that have expelled Russian diplomats.

During the meeting, the senior envoys according to reports got a dressing-down from the Russian foreign ministry staff and were told how many of their personnel were asked to leave Moscow.

Reporting from Moscow, Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands said; “One after another, black ambassadorial cars have been pulling up outside the Russian foreign ministry and the ambassadors have been walking in to essentially get a dressing-down from the foreign ministry staff and be told how many of their personnel has to be packing their bags to leave,” he said.

Read also: POISONING OF SPY: US joins row

“What we are seeing here is the worsening of diplomatic relations, a tit-for-tat response,” added Challands, describing the crisis as “severe”.

“Its catalyst has been the Skripal affair but, of course, there is so much else behind all this, so much that’s gone on over the last few years – with the Russian campaign in Syria, with what’s been going in Crimea and Ukraine, that has worsened relations between the West and Russia.”

The move comes after Russia also expelled 60 US diplomats in retaliation to Washington’s recent expulsion of 60 Russian officials.

Those expelled served at the US embassy in Moscow and two at the US consulate in Yekaterinburg, a statement by the Russian foreign ministry revealed.

 

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