Russian Foreign Ministry declared 34 French diplomats personae non gratae on Wednesday, giving them two weeks to leave the country. The decision was taken in response to the expulsion of employees of Russian diplomatic institutions in France.
The ministry "strongly protested in connection with the provocative and unjustified decision of the French authorities" to French Ambassador to Russia Pierre Levy. It added that this step "causes serious damage to Russian-French relations and constructive bilateral cooperation."
