Russia expels Denmark embassy staff in tit-for-tat move | News

Russia says the move is in retaliation to Denmark’s expulsion of 15 Russian envoys as well as its support of Ukraine.

Russia has declared seven members of Denmark’s embassy persona non grata, giving them two weeks to leave the country.

Russia’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that it summoned Danish Ambassador Carsten Sondergaard to inform him of the retaliatory measures following the expulsion of 15 Russian diplomats from Denmark and the country’s military aid to Ukraine.

“The kingdom’s openly anti-Russian policies cause serious damage to bilateral ties,” the foreign ministry in Moscow said in a statement.

Russia reserves the right “to take additional steps in response to Copenhagen’s unfriendly actions”, the statement said, adding that a diplomat of the Danish mission was also refused a visa as part of the retaliatory measures.

‘Deeply problematic’

The Danish foreign ministry said Russia was expelling seven members of its diplomatic mission, including four diplomats.

In a statement to the AFP news agency, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod called the move “a totally unjustified and deeply problematic decision”.

“Russia no longer wants real dialogue and diplomacy,” he said, noting that Denmark had in fact expelled Russian intelligence agents and not diplomats.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, the West has expelled dozens of Russian diplomats and Russia retaliated in tit-for-tat moves.