THE HAGUE, December 10. /TASS/. Russia will take retaliatory steps following the Netherlands’ spying charges against two staffers of the Russian embassy, the diplomatic mission said on Thursday.

The embassy confirmed it had received a note from the Dutch Foreign Ministry to the effect two embassy staffers had been declared personae non gratae for what was described as activities incompatible with their diplomatic status.

"At the same time no evidence that might prove their illegal activity in the country’s territory was presented," the embassy said. "Retaliatory measures will follow."

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister, Interior and Kingdom Relations Minister Kajsa Ollongren told parliament in a message the Netherlands had declared as personae non-gratae two Russian embassy staffers on the suspicion of being foreign intelligence service officers. The two embassy staffers in question had allegedly been gathering information in such fields as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and nanotechnologies.