The government of Russia announced on Tuesday the expulsion of a diplomat from Moldova assigned to its embassy in Moscow, in a new escalation of diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The decision was presented as a retaliation for a measure taken by the Moldovan authorities last month against an official of the Russian representation in Chisinau.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that it had declared the Moldovan diplomat ''persona non grata'' and had summoned the Moldovan ambassador in Moscow to formally communicate the decision. According to the statement published on the Foreign Ministry's website, the measure responds to the ''principle of reciprocity'' and constitutes a direct reaction to the decision made by Moldova on October 23.
On that date, the Moldovan government had declared an undesirable member of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau, the capital of the country, and had ordered his departure from national territory. Moscow has now responded with an equivalent measure, although it did not provide additional details about the identity of the affected diplomat or about the activities that would have motivated his expulsion.
The exchange of measures reflects the deterioration of relations between Russia and Moldova, an old Soviet republic located between Ukraine and Romania that in recent years has deepened its political and institutional rapprochement with the West.
The country is governed by the pro-European president Maia Sandu, whose executive promotes Moldova's incorporation into the European Union (EU) by 2030. This strategic orientation has generated frictions with Moscow, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine and the Moldovan accusations regarding alleged Russian activities that threaten its security.
Accusations of Russian Drones
One of the main points of tension between the two governments is the incidents related to drones that have entered Moldovan territory during the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has already lasted over four and a half years.
The Moldovan authorities have filed numerous diplomatic protests for what they consider incursions of Russian unmanned aircraft into their airspace. Sandu's government maintains that these episodes represent a threat to national security and has repeatedly questioned Russian military operations near its borders.
One of the most recent incidents occurred in mid-October, when Moldovan authorities reported that five drones crashed within their territory in less than 24 hours. The episode prompted a new official condemnation against Moscow and deepened the government's concerns about the consequences of the war in Ukraine for neighboring countries.
