Moscow slams expulsion of 45 Russian diplomats from Poland

MOSCOW

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday slammed Poland's decision to expel 45 Russian diplomats as "a conscious step towards the complete destruction of bilateral relations."

In a statement on its website, the ministry accused Poland of taking unfriendly actions against Russia for a long time "on a systematic basis."

"Warsaw has embarked on a dangerous escalation in the region, proceeding not from national interests, but from NATO's setup on outright Russophobia, elevated to the rank of an official course. We see this and will take it into account in our practical steps towards Poland," the statement said.

The ministry put "all responsibility for what is happening and for the possible consequences" on the current authorities in Warsaw.

"Russia will give to this hostile attack such a response that will make Polish provocateurs think and it will be sensitive for them," it said.

Poland on Wednesday expelled 45 Russian diplomats accusing them of spying, the country's interior minister said.

Russian Ambassador to Poland Sergey Andreyev said Warsaw's motive was to prevent the Ukrainian refugees in Poland from going to Russia, adding that "there are many such people" that requested the help of the Russian Embassy.

Andreyev said three-quarters of the embassy's staff were expelled, which will significantly affect the work of the diplomatic mission.