Moldova expels 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff, citing years of ‘hostile actions’

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Moldova has ordered 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff to leave, sharply reducing the number of officials Russia can have in its capital Chi?in?u, while citing years of “hostile actions” by Moscow.

“We agreed on the need to limit the number of accredited diplomats from Russia, so that there are fewer people trying to destabilize the Republic of Moldova,” foreign minister Nicu Popescu said at a cabinet meeting.

Russia will have until 15 August to cut its embassy personnel from more than 80 to 25, the foreign ministry said.

“For many years we have been the object of hostile Russian actions and policies. Many of them were made through the embassy,” Popescu said.

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a weekly briefing that Moldova’s decision would “not go unanswered,” calling it “another step in the destruction of bilateral relations” between the countries.

The Kremlin said it regretted Moldova’s decision and accused the country’s leadership of encouraging “Russophobia”.

“Unfortunately, Chi?in?u is deliberately driving our relations into a very miserable state,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Relations between Russia and Moldova – once part of the Soviet Union – reached new lows this year after president Maia Sandu strongly condemned Moscow’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and accused Russia of plotting to overthrow her.

In May, the EU announced the opening of a civilian mission in Chi?in?u during a visit by European leaders, in a show of solidarity in the face of the threat from Russia.

In his remarks on Wednesday, Popescu alluded to a media report from The Insider and television channel Jurnal TV about equipment installed on the Russian embassy’s rooftop that could be used for spying.

The investigation published this week claimed that that 28 antennas on Russia’s embassy in Chi?in?u and an adjacent building could have espionage purposes.

The report prompted Moldova’s foreign ministry to call in Russia’s ambassador to provide an explanation. Zakharova said the spying accusation was “a fantasy which has nothing to do with reality.”

Russia’s ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Vasnetsov, said the embassy needed antennas because it was built at the end of the 1990s. “If telephony and internet worked well, there probably wouldn’t be a need for constant upgrades,” he said.

Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report