Moscow: – Russia has ordered diplomats of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, along with Slovakia, to leave the country. This is the Russian reply to the action taken by the Baltic countries a few days ago. Russia has prepared a list of unfriendly countries, and as per reports, the United States features first on the list. Russian foreign ministry announced that work is still being carried out of the list, and the list will be presented soon.
Political conflict has flared up between the European Union and Russian members in the last few days. This began with the Czech Republic expelling 19 Russian diplomats from the country. Six years ago, in 2014, there had been major explosions in the military warehouses in the Czech Republic. Czech had accused that this was not an accident, but sabotage carried out by Russian spies working at the Russian embassy. Czech announced that this was the reason for the expulsion of the Russian diplomats.
Within few hours of the Czech action, Russia retaliated with the expulsion of 20 Czech diplomats from the country. After that, the Czech government ordered 63 Russian diplomats to leave the country. Whereas the other European Union members have jumped into the fray, criticising Russia in support of the Czech Republic.
Poland, an eastern European country at loggerheads with Russia, had expelled the Russian diplomats along with the Czech Republic. But Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, the Baltic countries that were a part of the erstwhile Soviet Union, also expelled Russian diplomats. In reply, Russia summoned six diplomats from these countries and dismissed them. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asked, ‘Why are these countries interfering in the dispute between Russia and the Czech Republic?’
Against the background of this political conflict, Russia has prepared a list of unfriendly countries. Russian media claim that the list includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Poland, Georgia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. As per the list, these countries will not be able to avail services of Russian citizens in their embassies. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the work on the list was still being carried out. Meanwhile, the Russian government had already indicated that the United States would feature in the list.
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