“We regret this unreasonable decision of Russia, which has no factual basis,” the message says.

As emphasized, the expulsion of employees of the Austrian embassy from Russia "did not come as a surprise." 

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the retaliatory expulsion of four employees of the Austrian Embassy.

A strong protest was made against the ambassador of a European country, Werner Almhofer, because of the “far-fetched announcement” by official Vienna of four Russian diplomats persona non grata.