Moscow Expelling Montenegrin Diplomat

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Montenegro's Ambassador to Russia Ramiz Basic was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and told that Moscow would expel one Montenegrin diplomat in response to Podgorica's actions, the Russian ministry said in a statement.

"He was given a note of protest and told that in response to Montenegro's unjustified demands to expel a Russian diplomat on the basis of Britain's unproven accusations against Russia over the so-called 'Skripals case', the Russian side declares an employee of the Montenegrin embassy persona non grata," the Russian ministry said in a statement.

READ MORE: Portugal Recalls Envoy to Russia for Consultations Over Skripal Case — Lisbon

Earlier, over 25 countries, including EU member states, the United States, Canada, have expressed their solidarity the UK side and announced their decisions to expel more than 150 Russian diplomats over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Skripals' poisoning. Russia has responded to the move and promised to maintain a "mirror-response" policy over the Skripal case, and expelled Western countries diplomats.

The UK side claims that Skripal, a former Russian intelligence agent who moved to the UK and worked for the MI6, and his daughter Yulia were exposed to a nerve agent in the UK city of Salisbury. According to the British version of the case, it was an attack organized by Russia.

Russian officials, in turn, have refuted all these allegations and pointed out that London has not contributed any facts to confirm its claims, refusing to provide the case materials to Moscow.

Countries that have expelled Russian diplomats

© Sputnik