Germany, Lithuania, Latvia expel Russian diplomats

“Lithuania stands in complete solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, who are victims of Russia's unprecedented aggression. Therefore, we are lowering the level of diplomatic representation of Russia”, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said.

“Unfortunately, what the world saw in Butka can only be the beginning. We will be able to find evidence of other war crimes in other cities when they are released. War crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Russian armed forces in Ukraine will not be forgotten”, he added, Rel reports.

Published photos have shown the bodies of several murdered civilians who had their hands tied to their backs. These scenes have added calls for imposing new sanctions on Russia and on prosecution of perpetrators.

After Lithuania announced the extradition of the ambassador, Latvia said that “is reducing diplomatic reports with the Russian Federation” due to Ukraine's unprotested Russian invasion and the German government declared 40 Russian diplomats as the unwanted “”.

Latvia's Foreign Ministry said it will provide more details on this move after the “internal procedures” are completed.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the German government has decided to declare “a large number of members of the Russian Embassy as unwanted persons, as those who have worked daily in Germany against our freedom and against the cohesion of our society”, Baerbock said.

This will not be tolerated by”, she added.

Berlin's decision has been made known to Russian Ambassador Sergei Netayev, who has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry in conversation, Baerbock said. The people named <x0non grata” will have five days to leave Germany.

These diplomats are allegedly members of Russian intelligence services.