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Expulsion of diplomats from Russia "symmetrical response" — Polish foreign minister

The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier on Monday that Poland’s authorities had indeed taken “such an unfriendly and ungrounded step”
Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna  EPA/NICOLAS BOUVY
Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna
© EPA/NICOLAS BOUVY

WARSAW, November 17. /TASS/. Russia’s move to expel Polish diplomats from Moscow is a symmetrical response to the earlier expulsion of Russian diplomats from Poland, Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna said in Brussels on Monday.

“In these issues, there is such a thing as a symmetrical response. We are closing this case,” he said. “Russia’s decision is finishing this process,” the minister said, giving no further details.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier on Monday that Poland’s authorities had indeed taken “such an unfriendly and ungrounded step.”

“Therefore, the Russian side has adopted adequate response measures, and several Polish diplomats have already left the territory of this country for the activity which is incompatible with their status,” the statement reads.

The ministry gave no details on the number of Polish diplomats have been ordered to leave Russia.

Polish media reported in mid-October that two persons had been detained on suspicion of spying for Russia. One of the suspects is the country’s Defense Ministry’s officer, who had access to classified documents concerning the Polish Army and NATO.