Moscow will respond to Prague’s decision to reduce the staff of the Russian embassy, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
“Prague has embarked on the path of ruining relations. The answer will not be long in coming, ”Zakharova said at a briefing on April 22.
Earlier on Thursday, Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulganek said that since the Russian side did not respond to the Czech demand for the return of 20 deported employees of its embassy to Moscow, the composition of the Russian embassy in Prague would be reduced to the level of the Czech diplomatic mission in Moscow.
The day before, commenting on the Prague ultimatum, Zakharova noted the inadmissibility of such a tone in relation to Russia, and advised to leave it for the Czech Republic’s NATO partners.
Relations between the two Czech Republics and Russia have escalated after Prime Minister Andrei Babis announced on April 17 that the Russian special services were allegedly involved in an explosion at an ammunition depot in Vrbetica in 2014. On the same day, the Czech Republic decided to expel 18 Russian diplomats.
The Russian side, in response, declared 20 employees of the Czech embassy in the Russian Federation persona non grata. The charges were flatly denied in Russia. The fact that Prague does not publish a report on the explosion, Zakharova called proof of a lie.