Russia has sustained tougher counter measures over the intransigence diplomatic actions of the West since the Ukrainian conflict. Russia accordingly expelled three diplomats from Sweden on Tuesday after Stockholm had expelled three Russian diplomats over the conflict in Ukraine.
The foreign ministry of Russia disclosed that it summoned the Swedish ambassador to Russia and “strongly protested” the expulsion of Russian diplomats and Sweden’s “military support to the Kyiv regime”. The foreign ministry accused Sweden of “covering up the crimes of Ukrainian nationalists against the civilian population of Donbas and Ukraine.”
The foreign ministry declared: “In response to this, the Russian side decided to declare persona non grata on three diplomats of the Swedish embassy in Russia.”
Sweden in early April expelled three Russian diplomats for alleged conduct of “illegal operations”, after EU members had expelled Russian diplomats from their countries.