Lavrov advises Russian diplomats on travel to other countries

According to Fars News Agency’s International Service, the head of the Russian diplomatic service said in a television interview on Monday that the Russian Foreign Ministry had received threats against its diplomats in some countries and that was why security warnings had been issued to them.

According to the news agency “DiceRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Larov said Russian diplomats abroad had been warned to refrain from traveling to cities alone.

The Russian foreign minister added that Russian diplomats live and work in difficult conditions. “There are essentially terrorist attacks against our missions and the physical security of diplomats,” Lavrov said. “We are now advising them not to be alone in the cities.”

Lavrov said Moscow was increasingly concerned about Russian citizens abroad.

“They are regularly attacked physically,” he said. “I know this is being discussed in Western capitals and in meetings at Western embassies in Moscow.”

Following Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, the United States and its allies and partners have launched an unprecedented offensive against Russia, expelling Russian diplomats in addition to economic sanctions.

Russia’s foreign ministry says Moscow reserves the right to retaliate after France expels Russian diplomats.

Earlier, Russia’s Tass news agency reported that the European Parliament had banned Russian and Belarusian diplomats and officials from entering its headquarters.

“There is no place in the home of democracy for those who seek to destroy the democratic order,” the presidency of the European Parliament said in a statement. European countries have repeatedly expelled Russian diplomats in recent years under various pretexts, following in Washington’s footsteps.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Groshko has stressed that the mechanism of European countries for the expulsion of Russian diplomats is already planned, and this will lead to a long-term deterioration of diplomatic relations.

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