The iconic green flag of the Moammar Gadhafi regime has been lowered from the Libyan Embassy in Moscow in a signal that diplomats from the conflict-torn North African nation are weighing their alliances.
The flag came down Wednesday but has not yet been replaced by the flag of the opposition National Transitional Council, Itar-Tass reported.
The Libyan embassies in Kiev and Minsk traded the green flag for the insurgency's red-black-green alternative earlier this week after Tripoli was overrun by rebels.
The rebel flag is also flying from embassies in many other countries, including Syria, Algeria, Turkey, Bosnia and the Philippines, according to news reports.
Noting that Gadhafi still holds some power and military strength, President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday urged the embattled leader and the rebels to cease fighting and hold talks.
Gadhafi, who has not replied to the call, was on the run Thursday, with rebels offering a $1.7 million bounty for his capture or killing.
The green flag, adopted by Gadhafi in 1977, is the world's only national flag with a solid color and no details.
The rebel flag, identical to the flag of the Kingdom of Libya, which Gadhafi overthrew in 1969, consists of a horizontal red, black and green triband decorated with a white crescent and star.
It was unclear when the flag might make an appearance over the Moscow embassy.
"When we will be raising a new flag is currently unknown," a Libyan diplomat told Interfax.
