The spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, announced today that the expulsion of European diplomats resulted from the actions of some foreign missions in light of illegal activities, emphasizing that by expelling three diplomats from the European Union, Russia clearly demonstrated that it would not tolerate such measures taken by certain European embassies.
The Russian spokesman told reporters: "The expulsion of diplomats was a result of actions taken by some foreign missions in Moscow amid illegal riotous activities. The Russian side has clearly shown that it does not intend to tolerate these actions." The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had taken compulsory measures regarding the expulsion of diplomats from Germany, Sweden, and Poland after their participation in unauthorized protests by local authorities.
The official announcement from the Russian Foreign Ministry came through a statement by the ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, relayed by Sputnik, in which she said: "The expulsion of diplomats from Germany, Sweden, and Poland who participated in the protests was a measure that Moscow took involuntarily and was compelled to implement."
A Russian court sentenced opposition figure Alexei Navalny to three and a half years in prison for violating the terms of a previous ruling issued against him in 2014, in a case related to the company "Ivy Roche." This sentence will deduct the months he spent under house arrest that year, meaning Navalny will serve two years and eight months in prison.
Earlier, protests were organized in dozens of Russian cities in solidarity with the opposition leader, during which the Russian Foreign Ministry warned against foreign interference in the country's internal affairs.
