Russia has expelled a Moldovan diplomat in response to the expulsion of a Russian embassy employee, escalating tensions between Moscow and Chisinau. The decision was made on Tuesday after Moldova declared an employee of the Russian embassy persona non grata following the alleged discovery of debris from a drone carrying explosives on Moldovan territory. The Russian Foreign Ministry described this move as another unfriendly step and accused Moldova of attempting to further undermine the centuries-long history of Russian-Moldovan relations. The tension between the two countries has worsened since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Moldova pushing for closer ties with the European Union. Last month, Moldovan President Maia Sandu accused a "Russian attack drone" of violating Moldovan airspace and crashing near homes and an energy facility.
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Moldova's ambassador, Lilian Darii, to inform him that a member of the Moldovan embassy's staff had been declared unacceptable "on the basis of the principle of reciprocity". This expulsion comes amidst renewed attacks reportedly carried out by Moscow against European-aligned states in the Black Sea region. For instance, a drone strike allegedly sunk a cargo ship off Romania's Black Sea coast in October. In an effort to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, Moldova officially launched a new power line connecting the country to neighboring Romania and the European grid last month. The 400-kilovolt extra-high-voltage line allows Moldova to cut reliance on the Cuciurgan thermal power plant in Transnistria.
The expulsion of the Moldovan diplomat is a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between Russia and Moldova, straining relations that have already been fraught since the Ukraine conflict. The decision was made in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, suggesting that the two countries' actions are interconnected and potentially setting a precedent for further retaliatory measures. It remains to be seen how this latest development will impact the broader geopolitical landscape of Eastern Europe.