Russian MFA declares 27 Spanish diplomats personae non gratae

Moscow in retaliation for an expulsion of Russian diplomats from Spain declared 27 diplomats of that country personae non gratae, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Spanish Ambassador to Russia Marcos Gomez Martinez was summoned to the Russian MFA on May 18," the statement said. "Russia issued him a strong protest in connection with Madrid’s provocative declaration of 27 employees of Russian diplomatic missions in Spain persona non grata."