Russia expels Romanian diplomat after July envoy expulsion

Russia said on August 27 it was expelling a Romanian Embassy employee in Moscow, calling it a response to Romania's July decision to expel a Russian diplomat in Bucharest.

Russia's foreign ministry said Romania's charge d'affaires was handed a note declaring an employee of the Romanian Embassy persona non grata. It described Romania's earlier decision against a Russian Embassy staff member as unjustified.

Relations between Russia and Romania have deteriorated since the Ukraine war began in 2022. In May, Romania accused Russia of firing a drone that hit a block of flats in Galati and wounded two people. Russia rejected the accusation.

Romania expelled a Russian diplomat in July over drone incursions. Drone incursions in Romania have been detected dozens of times since the start of the Ukraine war, and the Galati incident was described as the first time a residential building had been hit.