Expulsion of diplomats: Russia-Poland tension escalates

Moscow, Nov 17: Tension escalated between Russia and Poland after the former said that several of its diplomats were expelled by Warsaw and a number of Polish diplomats were asked to leave Russia's soil following adequate measures, the Reuters reported. [Putin's early departure from G20 symbolises stress and defeat, feels Russian expert]

The Russian Foreign Ministry, however, did not reveal the reason behind the expulsion of the Russian diplomats and neither did the Polish Embassy made any remark on the episode. Diplomatic sources said the Polish diplomats left the country on Sunday, the report added. [Russia will stop Ukraine from annihilating opponents in the east: Putin]

The Russian ministry accused Poland of taking "unfriendly and unfounded" step and it undertook adequate measures in response as a result of which the Polish diplomats left Moscow. Three Polish military attaches and one employee of the political section left Russia on Sunday after being given a 48-hour deadline.

Relations between Russia and the West, including the European Union (EU), have deteriorated as a result of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the EU imposed sanctions after Russia took control of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine. The relation turned so bitter that Russian President Vladimir Putin even left the G20 Summit in Brisbane before schedule after facing annoyed western leaders.

Russia and Poland have a historically disturbed relation and Warsaw has been very critical of Russia's role in Ukraine. Earlier this year, Warsaw cancelled events meant to celebrate cultural ties with Russia in 2015 and also withdrew accreditation for a Russian journalist working in Poland.

On Saturday, Germany said Moscow expelled one of its diplomats after a Russian diplomat working in Bonn was asked to leave after media reports suspected him to be a spy.

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