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Russian diplomat expelled by Kiev leaves Ukraine

Kiev’s move came as retaliation after Moscow ousted Ukrainian Consul in St. Petersburg Alexander Sosonyuk who was detained by the Russian FSB for obtaining confidential information from FSB and law enforcement databases

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Moscow expresses protest to Kiev over expulsion of Russian diplomat

KIEV, April 21. /TASS/. Senior diplomat of the Russian embassy in Kiev Yevgeny Chernikov who was earlier expelled by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has left the country, the Russian diplomatic mission told TASS Wednesday.

"The Russian diplomat who was declared persona non grata by the Ukrainian side has left the country," the embassy informed.

The Ukrainian ministry reported Saturday that a senior staffer of the Russian embassy in Kiev is ordered to leave the state. On Sunday, Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Yenin specified that it was Yevgeny Chernikov. The Russian embassy in Kiev confirmed this information and also informed that a relevant note from Ukraine’s ministry had been received. The next day, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement containing a firm protest against Kiev’s decision to expel the diplomat.

Kiev’s move came as retaliation after the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on April 17 its decision to expel Ukrainian Consul in St. Petersburg Alexander Sosonyuk who was detained a day earlier by the Russian FSB for obtaining confidential information from FSB and law enforcement databases. The Russian side underlined, "such activities are unacceptable, incompatible with the status of a consular employee and are affecting security interests of Russia." In light of this, Sosonyuk was recommended to leave the country within 72 hours starting with April 19.

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