Romania orders Russian diplomat out of country

Gabriel Grecu, first secretary of the political department of the Romanian Embassy in Moscow

From RIA Novosti:  Bucharest has declared a Russian diplomat persona non grata in yet another spy scandal after Moscow detained a Romanian official on similar grounds, a Romanian news agency reported on Wednesday.

MEDIAFAX said that the first secretary of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, Anatoly Akopov, was declared persona non grata in a tit-for-tat move on suspicions of espionage and gave him 48 hours to leave the country.

On Monday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that Gabriel Grecu, first secretary of the political department of the Romanian Embassy in Moscow, had been detained in Moscow while trying to obtain military secrets from a Russian national. …

According to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Grecu was operating in the Romanian embassy "under cover of the first secretary of the government relations department." The alleged spy was in possession of various pieces of espionage equipment. After several hours of interrogation, he was released and given 48 hours to leave the country.

UPDATE From RIA Novosti:  In a move that could heighten tensions in the latest tit-for-tat spy flap, Russia said on Wednesday it could retaliate to the expulsion of its diplomat from Bucharest. …

"Unlike the first secretary of the Romanian Embassy in Moscow, who was caught red handed in possession of materials and spying equipment that completely exposed his illegal activities, the Russian diplomat was not involved in any activities that could provide grounds for such decisions," the Foreign Ministry said. …

"We reserve the right to take retaliatory measures," the ministry said.  (photo: RIA Novosti)

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