Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Says Expels 10 Norwegian Diplomats in 'Retaliatory Measure'

Norwegian Embassy in Moscow. Andrey Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency

Russia said on Wednesday it was expelling 10 Norwegian diplomats as a "retaliatory measure" after Norway announced it was kicking out 15 Russians.

"(Norway's Ambassador to Russia) Robert Kvile was handed a note declaring 'persona non grata' 10 representatives of the Norwegian embassy in Moscow," Russia's Foreign Ministry said.

In mid-April, Norway announced the expulsion of 15 "intelligence officers" working at the Russian embassy in Oslo. 

"This hostile step further aggravated the situation in our bilateral relations, which are already at a critically low level," the Russian ministry said Wednesday.

The Norwegian authorities said they were notified of the expulsions.

"All our diplomats in Russia carry out normal diplomatic work. The Russian authorities know this well," said foreign ministry spokesperson Ragnhild Simenstad.

Norwegian intelligence services regularly point to Russia and China as the main espionage threats to the Nordic country, which is a member of NATO and shares a 198-kilometer (123-mile) border with Russia in the Arctic.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more