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Moscow vows to respond in kind after Germany expels Russian diplomats

The expulsions came in view of the killing of a Georgian citizen in Berlin at the end of last summer

Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

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Germany declares two Russian embassy employees personae non gratae

MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. Moscow is planning to take tit-for-tat steps following Germany’s move to expel Russian embassy staff, the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Wednesday.

"We view Germany’s statements on expelling two staff members of the Russian Embassy in Berlin as unfounded and unfriendly. Such a politicized approach to investigation is unacceptable. We will be forced to take tit-for-tat steps," the ministry said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Germany’s Foreign Ministry declared as personae non gratae two staff members of the Russian Embassy in connection with the killing of a Georgian citizen in Berlin at the end of last summer. The decision is "effective immediately," as follows from the Foreign Ministry’s statement published on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old Georgian national was murdered on August 23. On the same day, Berlin’s prosecutors announced that a suspect, a 49-year-old Russian citizen, was apprehended.

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