North Macedonia has ordered expulsion of three more Russian diplomats in the third such move since the start of the Russian invasion on Ukraine last year, the foreign ministry confirmed on Saturday.
The ambassador of the Russian Federation in Skopje, Sergey Bazdnikin was summoned on Sept. 12 and was informed that three of his colleagues were proclaimed personae non grata and must leave the country, the ministry said in a statement.
“Such a decision was adopted after information was received from competent institutions about activities being taken against the Vienna convention for diplomatic relations,” it added.
The tiny Balkan country has expelled Russian diplomats on two previous occasions since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In March 2023, five Russian diplomats were expelled while a month later six more were ordered to leave.
In March 2020, the former Yugoslav republic became the latest member of NATO and is aspiring to European Union membership.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February 2022, North Macedonia followed the EU’s lead in sanctioning Moscow, with officials in Skopje labeling Russia a “hostile state.”
