Russia Expels Western Diplomats Over Navalny Rally

[Wicked Blue]

Source: NBCWashington

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday said it was expelling diplomats from Sweden, Poland and Germany for attending a rally in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The diplomats were being declared “persona non grata” after they were alleged to take part in the “unlawful” rallies in support of Navalny on Jan. 23, the ministry said. Mass protests in support of Navalny took place that day all across Russia.

Diplomats from Sweden and Poland in St. Petersburg and from Germany in Moscow took part in the rallies, it said, and their actions were “unacceptable and inappropriate for their diplomatic status.”
U.S. & World

They were required to leave Russia “in the nearest future,” a ministry statement said.

Read more: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/navalny-in-court-again-accused-of-defaming-a-wwii-veteran/2563532/

[mr_lebowski]

1. Technically Russia probably has a reasonable argument for this action ...

And I'd assume these diplomats knew they could get expelled, but protested anyway.

Kudos to them. Hopefully they all get better assignments elsewhere.

[thucythucy]

2. They may even have done this on instructions from their governments

as a way to send Putin a message.

Whatever the case, my (figurative) hat is off to them.

[Yeehah]

3. Russia is a malignant dictatorship

The Russian people can do better!