Moscow summons Moldovan ambassador to announce response to expulsion of Russian embassy staff

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on March 29 that it had summoned Moldovan Ambassador Lilian Darii to inform him that Moscow had declared an employee of the diplomatic mission “unwelcome” in Russia.

Đại sứ quán Nga tại Chisinau, Moldova. Ảnh: Al Jazeera

Russian Embassy in Chisinau, Moldova. (Source: Al Jazeera)

According to the announcement, the Russian Foreign Ministry has handed Ambassador Darii a note of protest over Chisinau's decision to expel a Russian Embassy employee and deny entry to the Russian delegation to attend a conference organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Moldova.

The announcement reads: “Ambassador L. Darii has received a note from the Ministry (of Foreign Affairs of Russia) stating that the Russian side has declared an employee of the Moldovan Embassy in Russia as persona non grata as a response to the decision to expel an employee of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau.”

Earlier, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry expelled a Russian diplomat over the opening of polling stations for the Russian presidential election in the breakaway region of Transnistria. The ministry opposed the opening of polling stations in Transnistria - a pro-Russian region that broke away from Moldova when the Soviet Union collapsed.

Transnistria borders Ukraine to the east and has maintained autonomy for three decades under Russian support.

Previously, the Moldovan government also issued statements calling Russia's actions disrespectful of Moldova's sovereignty.

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