Russia Denounces Austria’s Move to Expel Diplomats
Russia criticized Austria for expelling Russian diplomats, calling the action unfounded and insisting it reflects hostile policy from Vienna. The protest came from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which described the Vienna decision as a maneuver with consequences that would rest entirely on Austrian authorities.
The ministry asserted that there was no legitimate basis to declare the two Russian diplomats persona non grata, and it warned of retaliatory steps in response to what it viewed as an unfounded measure by Austria.
On March 13, it was reported that two employees of the Russian embassy in Vienna were expelled. The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the diplomats were declared undesirable due to actions deemed incompatible with their diplomatic status. The decision cited Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The U.S. State Department did not reveal the specifics of the alleged conduct. Updates and broader context surrounding the incident appeared in material published by Newspapers.Ru.
Earlier, the Russian Embassy condemned the expulsion, reiterating its stance on the incident and signaling expectant responses from Moscow.