First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic Jan Hamacek announced plans to summon the Russian Ambassador to Prague, Alexander Zmeevsky, to “express his indignation at Moscow’s actions.” This was reported on April 20 by Czech Television.
“Foreign Minister Jan Hamacek will invite the Russian ambassador to Prague to express his indignation at the actions of the Russian side. At the same time, Gamachek did not say whether he intends to inform about the expulsion of other diplomats from the Russian embassy, ”the journalists said.
Hamacek also gave instructions to the Czech ambassadors in other countries to ask their partners in the European Union and NATO to expel Russian diplomats.
Earlier that day, it became known that the deputies of the Czech parliament recommended that the country’s authorities increase the number of expelled Russian diplomats.
The deputies clarified that the number of employees of the Czech embassies in Moscow and the Russian embassy in Prague should be equalized. Prague also claims that evidence of the alleged involvement of Russian special services in an explosion at an ammunition depot in Vrbetica in 2014 is obvious. At the same time, Prague itself does not publish the incident report and does not provide evidence.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that statements about Russia’s involvement in the explosion at an ammunition depot in the city of Vrbetica in 2014 are groundless and destructive to bilateral relations. According to him, on the whole, a “line on unfriendly influence” is being pursued against the Russian Federation, pressure and attempts to contain it are exerted.
On April 17, Czech Prime Minister Andrei Babis announced that the country’s authorities suspect the Russian special services of involvement in the explosion at an ammunition depot in Vrbetica in 2014. First Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamacek announced the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats.
The next day, Moscow responded by declaring 20 employees of the Czech embassy in the Russian Federation persona non grata.
In the Czech Republic, the reaction of the Russian side was called stronger than expected. According to Gamachek, the work of the embassy in Moscow is paralyzed, and this is a big blow to the embassy.