MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. Prague knows about the consequences that will follow the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats from the Czech Republic, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS on Saturday.

"Prague is well aware what follows such ‘tricks’," she said.

Czech First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Jan Hamacek, who is also Acting Foreign Minister, said at news conference earlier in the day that the Czech Republic was expelling 18 employees of the Russian embassy, who are Russian intelligence officers in the Czech special services’ version.

It was reported on Friday that Hamacek, who had been scheduled to come to Moscow on a working visit on Monday, April 19, called it off. He wrote on Twitter that his decision had been prompted by the need to attend the government’s meeting on Monday.