Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Spain expel Russian diplomats
Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Spain announced separately on Tuesday that they will deport dozens of Russian diplomats following similar deportations from other EU countries.
Why it’s important: Several EU members, including Germany and France, have now announced Russian dismissals after evidence of atrocities in the Ukrainian city of Bucha in the wake of Russia’s military withdrawal from northern Ukraine.
With the numbers: Italy said it expelled 30 Russian diplomats, while Spain said it would order 25 to leave, Denmark 15 and Sweden three.
- All four countries said the diplomats either did not act in accordance with international rules or posed a threat to their national security against their governments.
- Russian media reported that the Russian Foreign Ministry intends to at least respond to Italy’s deportations, although reprisals are expected to be announced against other countries.
The big picture: The reported killings of civilians in Bucha – some with their hands tied behind their backs – by Russian forces have prompted promises of new sanctions against Russia from both President Biden and EU leaders.
- Russian Ministry of Defense rejected the charges, saying no civilians were injured or killed while its soldiers controlled the city.
- Satellite images of Bucha disprove these allegations and show several bodies of dead civilians lying on the streets weeks before Ukrainian forces regained control, according to New York Times.
Go deeper: The United States will demand Russia’s suspension from the UN Human Rights Council