3 minutes agoSpain responds to Russian crimes, will expel 25 Russian diplomats
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)Spain will expel about 25 Russian diplomats and members of embassy personnel from Madrid, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Tuesday, joining other European Union countries in responding to alleged war crimes by Russian forces in Ukraine. “We have decided to expel diplomats and [...]
“We have decided to expel diplomats and personnel from the Russian Embassy in Spain, which pose a threat to the interests and security of our country”, he said after the weekly cabinet meeting, without excluding the possibility of further measures.
The minister added that the expulsions were also a response to the terrible “operations committed in Ukraine last days, especially in Buka and those reported today at Mariupol”. Referring to the discovery of mass cemetery and murder of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Butka.
“Crime cannot remain unpunished”, he added.
Russia has denied killing civilians in Butka.
Italy, Sweden and Denmark have already announced similar deportations.
Minister Albares said his government expected Russia to expel a similar number of Spanish diplomats in response.
However, he said Spain would not expel the Russian ambassador, as Madrid wants to retain its ambassador to Moscow and leave diplomatic channels open for talks with Russia to end the war. /voa
