“This Hostile Action Is Unacceptable”: Russian Embassy Responds To UK Expulsions

In the first of what will be many tit-for-tat retaliations now that the “cooperation” game-theoretical regime between Russia and the UK has broken down, moments ago the Russian embassy responded to the UK’s expulsion of 23 diplomats.

In a statement it said:

“On 14 of March Russian Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where he was informed that 23 diplomats were declared personae non gratae.”

We consider this hostile action as totally unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted.

All the responsibility for the deterioration of the Russia-UK relationship lies with the current political leadership of Britain.

Statement of the Russian Embassy https://t.co/UvisUyqzMw pic.twitter.com/PpvXxN03nx

— Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) March 14, 2018

Separately, RIA Novosti reported that the Russian embassy in the UK – whose staff is being expelled – called the move “unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted.”

As a reminder, the Kremlin has yet to retaliate in deed, instead of just verbally, with its own expulsion of UK diplomats, a move which will be coming shortly, prompting even more retaliation by the UK which warned earlier may next expel the Russian ambassador, leading in a total collapse of diplomatic relations between the two nations.