Russian diplomats declared persona non grata leave Greece

Twelve Russian diplomats, expelled from Greece, took off yesterday on a special flight for their homeland.

On April 6, the Greek authorities announced that their presence in the country was undesirable. Considering that due to the sanctions there is no air service between Russia and Greece, a special flight was organized for the departure of diplomats and their families, writes RIA News.

They were seen off at the Athens International Airport by Andrey Maslov, Russian Ambassador to Greece, and colleagues. Mr. Maslov was previously invited to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and informed of the decision to expel 12 employees of the Russian embassy and consulate general from the country.

The Russian Embassy considered such a step unreasonable, unfriendly and confrontational, protesting against the actions of the Greek authorities. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “the true purpose of the authors of the baseless decision to expel our employees from the country is to sow discord between the Russian and Greek peoples.” At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized: “The consequences of a hostile action remain entirely on the conscience of Athens, we will take retaliatory measures.”

Recall that on March 24, the Russian Embassy in Athens appealed to the Greek authorities to protect legal rights Russian citizens and prevent blocking of their bank accounts in Greece.

Earlier, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Greece expressed concern about the receipt of complaints about threats to Russian citizenslocated in the country. It urged them to contact the police. The embassy posted a statement on social media recommending that Russian citizens contact Greek law enforcement authorities immediately if they receive threats, insults or attacks of any kind.

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