MOSCOW, Aug 18 officials from Moldova as a response to the decision of Chisinau to reduce the number of employees of Russian foreign missions. This was reported on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the agency, on August 18, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova Lilian Darii was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, he was protested in connection with «the unjustified decision of official Chisinau to radically reduce the number of employees of Russian foreign missions in Moldova.»
The Ministry noted that this step leads to further destruction of Russian-Moldovan relations and is unfriendly.
«»Lilian Darius was informed that, as an asymmetric persons of the Republic of Moldova,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
On Monday, 45 employees of the Russian embassy, together with their families, left Moldova by decision of the Moldovan Foreign Ministry related to the reduction of the staff of the Russian diplomatic mission. The reaction of the ministry followed after the emergence of the so-called «investigation» of Russia's alleged espionage activities in Moldova. The conclusion about «espionage» was made on the basis that they counted 28 antennas and satellite dishes on the roof of the Russian embassy in Chisinau, and this, as claimed, is more than the number of antennas installed on the Russian embassy in Belgium.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called this an unfriendly step that will have consequences for bilateral relations and will affect the residents of both countries, whose opportunities for obtaining consular assistance will be reduced.
Relations between Russia and Moldova began to deteriorate after coming to power in Republic at the end of 2020 by President Maia Sandu, who adheres to a pro-European policy.