Moldova expels Russian embassy official after searches in parliament

Moldova's Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov to inform him that an employee of the Russian embassy had been declared persona non grata.

The Foreign Ministry explained that the expulsion decision was made following an investigation that gathered information and evidence indicating that the Russian diplomat was engaged in activities incompatible with his diplomatic status in Moldova.

This followed the detention of two people in a treason case after searches in the Moldovan parliament.

One of the detainees, as reported by the media, is the head of the parliament's legal department, Ion Creangă. He was reportedly caught red-handed while passing information to the Russian Embassy in Chișinău.

"We perceive all these actions as very unfriendly," the Russian ambassador said in a conversation with journalists after being summoned to the Moldovan Foreign Ministry, as quoted by Moldovan news outlet Newsmaker.

Asked whether he was aware that the embassy employee had received information from Moldovan officials, Vasnetsov replied: "We have a small number of diplomats left in the embassy... the investigation is still ongoing, as you know... Strangely, the declaration of persona non grata is taking place at a time when the evidence has not yet been collected."

Asked whether Russia would react to Chișinău's decision, he replied: "You know that Russia always finds a response. There will definitely be a response."

Earlier, it was reported that officers from Moldova's Intelligence and Security Service, along with prosecutors from the Main Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, conducted a search of the country's parliament in connection with a high treason case.