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18 Russian diplomats, identified by Czech intelligence as spies, left their posts on Monday after blaming the Russian secret services in Prague for the 2014 bombing in the Czech Republic, which claimed victims. At that time, Russia sent 20 Czech diplomats to Moscow.
“The Russian Federation has until 12 noon tomorrow (local time, 1 pm Lithuanian time) to allow all sent diplomats to return to the Czech embassy in Moscow,” Jakub Kulhanek, the new chief, told reporters. of the country’s diplomacy.
“If they cannot return, I will reduce the number of staff at the Russian embassy in Prague to match the current situation at the Czech embassy in Moscow,” he added.
After meeting with the Russian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry, Alexander Zmeyevsky, Kulhanek said that Moscow’s response was “disproportionate and, in fact, paralyzed the embassy.”
The Embassy of the Czech Republic in Moscow currently employs five diplomats and 19 technicians, far fewer than the Embassy of Russia in Prague.
“The expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats did not endanger the functioning of the Russian embassy,” said Kulhanek, who was appointed minister only on Wednesday.
At the time, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned Prague that the tone of the ultimatum was unacceptable to Moscow and said Czech Ambassador Vitezlav Pivonka would be summoned to the MFA on Thursday.
“Judging by some statements by Czech politicians, they are trying to make Kafka a reality. We propose that Prague leave ultimatums for communication within NATO. That tone is unacceptable with Russia,” Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the NATO, told reporters. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
“Tomorrow, the conversation with the Czech ambassador will be continued by the Russian Foreign Ministry,” he added.
Jan Hamaček, Interior Minister at the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Tuesday that he was ready to dispatch all Russian diplomats from Prague.
“I’m ready for anything. He even builds relationships from scratch. This means that we will send them all (diplomats) home,” said J. Hamaček on the social network Facebook.
“I was expecting a slightly different reaction from Russia, but hey. We are forced to give an answer in a series of stages. Today it was Rosatom, which they (Russia) will not like. And we need to consult about other options,” he added .
Hamascheek also stated that his country is asking European Union and NATO partners to send Russian diplomats out of solidarity.
The Czech government said, based on an intelligence report, that the Russian military intelligence agency GRU organized two bombings in 2014, one of which killed two people and caused significant property damage.
Czech police investigating these attacks are searching for two men suspected of the 2018 poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England.
Prague also decided on Monday to exclude Russian nuclear giant Rosatom from bidding for the construction of a new unit at a Czech nuclear power plant.
Hamaček added that the Czech government would not consider purchasing a Russian COVID-19 “Sputnik V” vaccine.
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