Russia expels 2 Irish diplomats in tit-for-tat move

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia expelled two Irish diplomats Thursday in a retaliatory move, the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Irish Ambassador Brian McElduff was summoned to the ministry, which delivered a strongly worded protest against “the unfriendly and motivational steps in March by the Irish authorities, who demanded the departure of four employees of the Russian Embassy in Dublin.”

The ministry also demanded that Ireland immediately remove obstacles to the work of the Russian Embassy, recalling that Dublin is obliged to do so under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

"If the Irish government continues its destructive line towards Russia, Dublin should not have the slightest doubt about Moscow's determination to respond proportionately to any hostile steps," the ministry said.

Ireland expelled four Russian diplomats in March in protest against the Russia-Ukraine war, which started on Feb. 24.

The war has drawn international outrage, with the European Union, US and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,611 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 2,227 injured, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be far higher.

More than 4.3 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries, with millions more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.