The Baltic states and Bulgaria expel 20 Russian diplomats because of the war in Ukraine. In addition, Bulgaria has designated ten diplomats as persona non grata, while Lithuania expels four diplomats and Estonia and Latvia three each.
Russian diplomats in Bulgaria have been given 72 hours to leave the country for activities contrary to their diplomatic status. Latvia reports exactly the same reason and says that it also considers the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Estonia says of the diplomats that they “directly and actively undermined Estonia’s security and spread propaganda justifying Russia’s military action”. Lithuania has expressed its wish to show solidarity with Ukraine. The Baltic countries have coordinated their activities.
Earlier this week, Slovakia already decided to expel three Russian diplomats. Russia then said it would respond to the “unjustified” move. The Russian embassy in Sofia has said that there will also be a response to the “hostile” expulsion of diplomats from Bulgaria.