MFA: Russia Declares Moldovan Embassy Staff Member Persona Non Grata

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova has confirmed the expulsion of a staff member of the Moldovan diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation, as well as the summons of Ambassador Lilian Darii to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The decision by the Russian authorities was made in response to Chisinau’s expulsion of a Russian diplomat following an incident involving a drone that crashed near a house in the village of Chistelnita, Telenesti district, moldova1.md reports. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova confirms that the Republic of Moldova’s ambassador to the Russian Federation was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, and that the Russian authorities have decided to expel a staff member of the Republic of Moldova’s diplomatic mission in Moscow,” MFA spokesperson Tatiana Barac told Teleradio-Moldova. According to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Lilian Darii was handed a diplomatic note on November 10 informing him that, on the basis of reciprocity, Moscow had declared one staff member of the Moldovan Embassy in the Russian Federation persona non grata. More than 50 Russian Embassy staff members have been expelled from Moldova since the start of the war in Ukraine. The first expulsion of a staff member of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau following an aircraft crash on the territory of the Republic of Moldova took place on October 31, 2022.