ST. PETERSBURG, July 26. /TASS/. Moldovans often find no appeal in Russophobia, but the country's government is on course to sever ties with Russia, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Russophobia is encouraged in every possible way now in Moldova. People there often aren’t fertile soil for this kind of thing. People, as far as we know, are hardly inclined to such manifestations of Russophobia. The leadership itself is cutting all the ropes. This is bad," he said in comments on Chisinau's decision to reduce the staff of the Russian embassy.

Peskov said that Moldova's decision was "an extension of the unfriendly policy of the current leadership of the republic" toward Russia.

"Unfortunately, Chisinau is deliberately driving our relations into a very miserable condition. We can only express regret in this regard," the spokesman said. "But of course, such steps don’t go unreciprocated in accordance with diplomatic rules."

The spokesman for the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Igor Zakharov, earlier told TASS that 45 employees of the Russian embassy, including diplomats and technical staff, would be expelled from Moldova. The ministry said the staff of the Russian embassy would be reduced to be on par with the staff of the Moldovan embassy in Moscow, meaning up to 10 diplomats and 15 staff in charge of administrative, technical and other functions. The decision was explained by numerous alleged unfriendly moves and attempts to destabilize the internal political situation in Moldova. According to a diplomatic note from Moldova, Russian diplomats should leave the country by August 15.