In a tit-for-tat reaction, Russia has expelled ten diplomats from the three Baltic republics, including three each from Estonia and Latvia and four from Lithuania.

The decision was made on Tuesday, less than two weeks after the three Baltic states jointly expelled ten Russian diplomats earlier this month.
The acts of the Russian diplomats were stated to be incompatible with their diplomatic status, and the decision to remove them was made in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that it had summoned the three nations’ embassies to express its displeasure with the “provocative” and “baseless” measures taken against its diplomats.

Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia were all previously part of the Soviet Union but are now NATO and European Union members. They have been vocal in their support for Western sanctions against Russia for its activities in Ukraine.

Following Bratislava’s expulsion of three Russian diplomats for spying earlier this month, Russia expelled three Slovak diplomats on Monday.

North Macedonia also dismissed five Russian diplomats on Monday, citing violations of diplomatic rules.

Earlier this month, the US, Poland, and Bulgaria took a series of similar actions.