Prague protested against Moscow’s move against the staff of the Czech embassy in Russia
On Saturday evening, Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Smolek urgently summoned Russian Ambassador Alexander Zmeevsky. According to the provocation of the Russian authorities towards the employees of the Czech embassy, the reason was the reason.
The staff of the Czech Embassy in Moscow became the target of gross harassment by the Russian authorities. Prague protested sharply against it, and the Foreign Minister’s Square called the Russian ambassador to account. “For security reasons, provide details of the country abroad, but we call on the Russian side to comply with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” said ministry spokeswoman Lenka Do.
Diplomatic relations between the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation have been strained for some time. The Czechia expelled 18 employees of the Moscow embassy last spring following the revelation by security forces that the GRU was responsible for the explosion of ammunition in Vrbětice in the Zlín region in 2014. In retaliation, Russia declared 20 employees of the Czech embassy in Moscow undesirable and called the Czech approach a hostile act.
Later, Czech diplomacy announced the forced departure of Russian diplomats from Prague. Russia has announced that it is switching to “strict parity” in the number of embassy staff, so the numbers should be the same.
In connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Czech Republic suspended the operation of the Czech consulates general in St. Petersburg and Ekaterinburg. It revoked the consent to the operation of Russian consulates in Karlovy Vary and Brno. At the same time, the government decided to stop issuing visas to Russian citizens with exceptional cases.
This morning, in protest against the Russian invasion, activists poured red on the stairs in front of the Russian embassy in Prague-Bubeneč. Police from the security service detained four people on the spot. The police assessed the case as an offense.