On Thursday Moscow announced the expulsion of five Swedish diplomats and the closure of Russia’s general consulate in Gothenburg as well as Sweden’s diplomatic office in Saint Petersburg.

According to the Russian foreign ministry, the Swedish ambassador Malena Mard has been summoned and advised of Moscow’s punitive action in response to her country’s confrontational course.

The Russian foreign ministry said, “A decision was made to declare five Swedish diplomats persona non grata”.

Sweden announced in late April that it was removing five Russian diplomats for activities not compatible with their diplomatic status.

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Russia called the expulsion an openly hostile move, accusing authorities in the northern Europe of waging a Russophobic campaign.

According to the statement from the Russian foreign ministry, Moscow’s general consulate in Gothenburg will close on September 1, 2023.

“Sweden’s general consulate in Saint Petersburg will also have to close by that time”, the statement added.

After Russian President Vladimir Putin dispatched soldiers to Ukraine in February 2022, the West imposed unprecedented sanctions on Moscow, and relations with Western countries have come under unprecedented pressure.

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