Russia expels 7 Danish diplomats

MOSCOW

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced seven Danish diplomats persona non grata in a retaliatory move on Thursday.

In a statement published on its website, the ministry said the diplomats must leave the country within two weeks.

According to the ministry, another diplomat was refused the Russian visa and so cannot start working at the Danish Embassy in Moscow.

The statement also said the Danish ambassador, who was summoned to the ministry, was conveyed a strong protest.

Denmark's "openly anti-Russian policy causes serious damage to bilateral relations," it added.

The step is taken in response to the expulsion of 15 Russian diplomats from Denmark on April 5. They were declared persona non grata as part of protests against the Russia-Ukraine war.

At least 3,238 civilians have been killed and 3,397 others injured in Ukraine since the war with Russia began on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates. The true toll is feared to be much higher.

More than 5.7 million people have fled to other countries, with some 7.7 million people internally displaced, data from the UN refugee agency shows.