Russia Expels Moldovan Diplomat in Reciprocal Move Amid Drone Dispute

Russia expelled a Moldovan diplomat on Tuesday in a tit-for-tat response after Chișinău ordered a Russian embassy staffer to leave the country last month. The Russian Foreign Ministry cited the principle of reciprocity, declaring a member of the Moldovan embassy in Moscow “undesirable” and summoning Ambassador Lilian Darii to formalize the decision.

The diplomatic rupture traces back to late October, when Moldovan President Maia Sandu accused a “Russian attack drone” of violating the country’s airspace and crashing near residential areas and an energy facility. In response, Sandu declared a Russian embassy staff member persona non grata.

Moscow has consistently rejected the allegation, stating there is no proof the drone was Russian and labeling Chișinău’s move an “unfriendly act” aimed at dismantling centuries-old bilateral relations.

Moldova, a small former Soviet republic sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, has expelled several Russian diplomats since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country’s territory has also seen repeated drone incursions throughout the conflict.

Relations between the two nations have deteriorated sharply since a pro-Western government took power in Chișinău in 2020, a trajectory accelerated by Moldova’s push for European Union membership and the fallout from the war next door.

Source link