Russia stops the work of the cultural center of the Lithuanian Embassy in Moscow. On October 5, this was stated in a message on site Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
The reason is the hostile actions of Lithuania towards Russia.
“It was also stated that taking into account the hostile line of Lithuania towards the complete collapse of bilateral relations, including humanitarian ties, the Russian side freezes the activities of the cultural center of the Lithuanian diplomatic mission in Moscow – the so-called. Houses of Baltrushaitis,” the Russian Foreign Ministry added.
Moscow reserves the right to take additional measures of influence, depending on the unfriendly steps taken by Lithuania.
Earlier Wednesday, Russia said it was expelling Lithuanian charge d’affaires Virginia Umbrasene as a retaliatory measure. The diplomat will leave the Russian Federation within five days.
On October 3, Moscow warned that it would respond to the expulsion by Vilnius from Lithuania of Russia’s Charge d’Affaires Sergei Ryabokon. On the same day, it became known about the expulsion of a Russian diplomat from Lithuania.
A representative of the embassy of the Russian embassy was summoned to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, he was handed a note, according to which Ryabokon was declared persona non grata.
In recent months, Russia has faced the mass expulsion of its diplomats from European states. This decision, in particular, was made by Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Bulgaria, Portugal, Ireland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Romania, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Greece and others. Russia, in turn, is taking retaliatory measures.
In April, Zakharova said that the expulsions of Russian diplomats reveal the demonstrative position of the West, which is trying to “punish politically” the Russian Federation.
At the same time, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov noted that the expulsion of Russian diplomats is a short-sighted step that will further complicate communication between countries, and will also inevitably lead to retaliatory measures.
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