Russia declared a Romanian Embassy employee in Moscow persona non grata on Thursday, August 27, stating that this is a retaliatory measure in response to a similar decision previously taken by the Romanian side.

“On August 27, Liliana Burda, Romania’s chargé d’affaires in Russia, was summoned to the State Protocol Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, where she was handed the ministry’s note regarding the declaration of a Romanian Embassy employee in Moscow as persona non grata,” the Russian Foreign Ministry informed in a statement cited by Russian state news outlet TASS.

“This measure represents a response to the previously adopted decision by the Romanian side, without any justification, to declare an employee of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest persona non grata,” the same source added.

Back in July, the Romanian Foreign Ministry expelled a Russian diplomat after Russian drones repeatedly infringed upon Romanian national airspace, being shot down afterwards. Romania also recalled its ambassador from Moscow for consultations.

Romania's Foreign Ministry confirmed the expulsion, and said that "the measure [announced] by the Russian side is reciprocal in nature." 

Aleksei Fadeev, deputy director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, had said in July during an interview that Russia would not imitate the other side’s “theatrical gesture” and would not recall its ambassador from Bucharest, but would give an appropriate response to the expulsion of the Russian diplomat.

Earlier this month, Romania shot down the fourth Russian drone that illegally entered its national airspace. 

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Diana Opryshko|Dreamstime.com)