MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. Russia will not leave unanswered North Macedonia’s decision to expel three diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Skopje, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

"On September 12, the authorities of North Macedonia declared three Russian diplomats, who served at the Russian Embassy in Skopje, as personae-non-grata, and no explanations were provided on the issue," Zakharova said.

"A prompt reply will certainly follow after the irresponsible and hostile move on behalf of the North Macedonian authorities," she added.

Zakharova stated that the authorities of North Macedonia "continue walking the path of aggravating the confrontation and keep pushing further into a deadlock bilateral relations, which are already deeply strained."

"We regard the decision of expelling our colleagues as an inappropriate desire by the leadership of this country, which once again tried to demonstrate its Western patrons their significance in the fight against the so-called Russian threat," Zakharova added.