Russia expels diplomats Reply to Hungary's action

Oct 1

Vremya says Russia has declared several employees of Hungary's Moscow embassy and its St Petersburg and Kazan consulates persona non grata and summoned the chargé d'affaires that day. The report presents this as a response to Hungary's September 8 expulsion of ten Russian diplomatic-mission staff, which the programme says lacked an explanation. It quotes the Hungarian government's wish to avoid escalation and continue cooperation. The retaliation and Hungarian response remain attributed; the report gives no number for Russia's expelled staff.

Russia declares several staff of Hungary's embassy in Moscow and consulates in St Petersburg and Kazan persona non grata and summons the chargé d'affaires on October 1. Vremya describes the measure as retaliation for Hungary's September 8 expulsion of ten Russian staff. It reports Budapest's stated desire to avoid escalation and continue cooperation. The programme gives no number for the Hungarian staff affected and presents its characterization of Hungary's earlier action as Russian-side framing. CCTV's October 2 report adds a two-week departure deadline for the Hungarian staff. It attributes Hungary's earlier expulsion to alleged Vienna Convention violations and relays Budapest's wish to avoid escalation. Vremya's description of Hungary not explaining its earlier action remains that source's Russian-side characterization; no independent finding on either allegation is established.