Baltic states expel 10 Russian diplomats to show solidarity with Ukraine

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) – Ten Russian diplomats have been expelled from the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, authorities said on Friday.

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it summoned Russian Ambassador Alexei Isakov and “handed him a diplomatic note, declaring four employees of the Russian Embassy as personae non gratae.”

Recent activities of the Russian diplomats were “incompatible with their diplomatic status” and they have been given five days to leave the country, the ministry said.

Latvia ordered three staff members of the Russian Embassy to depart within five days.

“Current activities of those persons under diplomatic cover are incompatible with their diplomatic status and are causing detriment to the Republic of Latvia,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Estonia also announced it has expelled three Russian diplomats, accusing them of “directly and actively” undermining Estonia’s security and spreading “propaganda justifying Russia’s illegal warfare.”

All three Baltic states emphasized that the decisions to expel Russian diplomats were as show of solidarity with Ukraine, where at least 816 civilians have been killed and 1,333 injured since Moscow started attacks on Feb. 24, according to the UN.

More than 3.27 million people have also fled Ukraine, said the UN refugee agency.​​​​​​​