Russia expels several Hungarian diplomats / Moscow responds to the expulsion of ten Russian employees from Budapest

Russia will expel an as-yet unspecified number of Hungarian diplomats, as a reciprocal measure following Budapest’s decision to remove ten Russian diplomatic employees. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the measure on Thursday, after summoning Hungary’s chargé d’affaires ad interim.

The Hungarian diplomat was informed that a group of members of the staff of the Hungarian Embassy in Moscow and of the Hungarian consulates general in St. Petersburg and Kazan must leave Russian territory within two weeks. The exact number of people concerned was not specified.

Moscow’s decision comes after Budapest announced, in September, the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats accused of “unacceptable activities.” Russia claims that its response represents a reciprocal measure, amid the deterioration of diplomatic relations between the two states.

The announcement was made by the Russian Foreign Ministry and reported by Reuters and AFP, as cited by Agerpres. The diplomatic expulsions mark a new stage of tension between Moscow and Budapest, as both sides have resorted to similar measures.