Russia Expels One Georgian Diplomat After Tbilisi Does Same

The Russian Federation has responded to Tbilisi by expeling one Georgian diplomat from the Georgian Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow, after Tbilisi did the same in late March in response to the UK Skripal poisoning case.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia received a notification from the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation through the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation, which reads that the Russian side requests one Georgian employee be expelled from the Georgian Interests Section at the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation in Moscow. This represents the Russian side's response to the similar action from the Georgian side on March 29," said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

In late March, Official Tbilisi stated they were expelling a Russian diplomat in solidarity with Britain and the international community.

The series of deportations of Russian diplomats started in the UK, which expelled 23 Russia’s representatives from the country.

Russian diplomats were also kicked out of up to 20 European Union states, as well as from the following non-EU states: Albania, Australia, Canada, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Ukraine and the United States.

The UK blames Russia for the March 4 poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, who were found unconscious on March 4 in Salisbury, England.

By Thea Morrison

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