The Estonian ambassador to Russia must leave the country on February 7, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced. The decision was a retaliatory measure in response to a diplomatic staff reduction at the Russian embassy in Tallinn, the ministry said.
“The Estonian leadership has been purposefully destroying the entire complex of relations with Russia over the past few years. Complete Russophobia and inculcation of hostility against our country has been elevated to the level of state policy by Tallinn.
Estonia has now taken a new unfriendly step to radically reduce the size of the Russian embassy in Tallinn, confirming a policy of disintegration of relations between our countries. In response, the Russian side has decided to downgrade its diplomatic representative in both countries to Charge d'Affaires,” reads a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“The Estonian regime got what it deserved,” commented Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.