Russian media say 20 expelled Czech diplomats have left the Russian embassy
Xinhua News Agency, Moscow, April 19. According to a report on the 19th by Russian Channel 5 TV, 20 Czech diplomats expelled from Russia left the Czech Embassy in Russia in batches that day.
On the evening of the 18th, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the expulsion of 20 Czech diplomats in Russia in response to the Czech Republic’s previous “hostile act” of expelling 18 Russian diplomats.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Czech ambassador to Russia Pionka on the evening of the 18th, announcing that 20 Czech embassy staff in Russia were identified as "unwelcome people" and asked them to leave the country on the 19th at the latest.
The statement stated that the Czech Republic’s use of groundless excuses to expel Russian diplomats is a “hostile act”, a continuation of anti-Russian measures in recent years, and a follow-up to the latest US sanctions against Russia.
According to reports, Czech’s First Deputy Prime Minister Hamachek said on the 19th that the Czech Embassy in Russia has only five staff members, and the embassy’s related work has been paralyzed.
On the 17th, the Czech government demanded that 18 Russian embassy personnel leave the country within 48 hours on the grounds that Russian intelligence personnel were suspected of participating in the 2014 Czech arsenal explosion.