MOSCOW

Latvia’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that it decided to declare a Russian diplomat persona non grata.

In a statement on its website, the ministry said it summoned Russian Charge d'Affaires Oleg Zykov and lodged a "strong protest" over "unacceptable provocative public statements" made by the Russian embassy.

"The Embassy of Russia, regardless (of) repeated reprimands from the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has continued inaccurate public communication aimed at the discreditation of public institutions and authorities of the Latvian state and inciting hatred among society in Latvia,” it said.

In response, Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins decide to expel one Russian diplomat, and he has to leave the country by April 10, the ministry said.