Belgium, Netherlands expel dozens of Russian diplomats

Belgian and Dutch authorities have expelled dozens of Russian diplomats, accusing them of espionage and posing a threat to their security.

Reuters news agency quoted a notice from the Dutch Foreign Ministry today (March 29), saying that the country had expelled 17 Russian intelligence officers working under the name of diplomats, based on information from agencies. Dutch security agency.

“The reason for this decision is that information from the AIVD security service and the military intelligence service MIVD shows that the individuals in question, despite being recognized as diplomats in Russian missions in the Netherlands, but is working secretly as an intelligence officer,” the Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra also stated that the Dutch government was prepared for any retaliation by Moscow. “Experience shows that Russia does not condone such measures. We cannot speculate on that, but the State Department has prepared for different possible scenarios in the near future,” Mr. Hoekstra said. speak.

Photo: TASS

On the same day, the Belgian Foreign Ministry also confirmed to Reuters that it had expelled 21 people working at the Russian Embassy in Brussels and the Russian Consulate in Antwerp. All of them, though recognized as diplomats, are carrying out espionage activities, affecting the country’s security, a spokesman for the Belgian foreign ministry said.

The Russian side has not yet responded to the above moves.

Diplomatic tensions between Russia and Western countries are heating up after Moscow launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24.

In a related development, the TASS news agency, citing a notice from the Russian Foreign Ministry on March 29, said that Moscow had asked four diplomatic staff of the Embassy of Lithuania and three diplomatic staff of the Ambassador to Latvian restaurant leaving Russia. This decision also applies to 3 diplomatic staff of the Embassy of Estonia and the Estonian Consulate General in St. Petersburg.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that earlier, Moscow had summoned the heads of the diplomatic missions of the above countries to protest against the expulsion of the Russian embassy staff by the governments of the three countries, and said that this move is provocative and baseless.

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