Russia responds in kind to mass expulsion of its Berlin diplomats

Russia is responding in kind to mass expulsion of its diplomats from Berlin, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

"The German authorities took a decision on another mass expulsion of employees of Russian diplomatic missions in Germany. We strongly condemn these actions of Berlin, which continues to defiantly destroy the entire array of Russian-German relations," the ministry said.

It did not reveal the number of diplomats involved.

Relations between Moscow and Berlin, which used to be the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas, have frayed since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and the West responded with sanctions.

"As a reaction to the hostile actions of Berlin, the Russian side decided to mirror the expulsion of German diplomats from Russia, as well as to significantly limit the maximum number of employees of German diplomatic missions in our country," the ministry said.

It said Germany's ambassador in Moscow had been notified about the moves on April 5.

Meanwhile, more than 3,000 people will be evacuated in the Russian city of Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, after an explosive was found, the local governor said on Saturday, two days after a Russian warplane accidentally dropped a bomb on the city.

Military explosive experts have decided to "neutralise" the explosive at a training ground, Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram.

"The operational headquarters decided to evacuate 17 apartment buildings within a radius of 200 metres. According to preliminary data, it is more than 3,000 people. Anyone who needs help with temporary accommodation, it will be provided," he said.