Dozens of Russian embassy staff leaving Czechia

Several dozen Russian diplomats, embassy staff and their families are due to leave the Czech Republic by May 31 under an agreement on “parity representation” between Prague and Moscow.

The reduction in staff was triggered by a diplomatic row over the Czech claim that Russian intelligence agents were behind a series of deadly blasts at a munitions depot in Moravia in 2014. The Czech Republic expelled 18 Russian agents from the country within 48 hours and another 63 diplomats and staff were given until the end of May to leave the country.

Under the agreement Prague and Moscow are bound to reduce the number of embassy staff at their respective representations to 7 diplomats, 25 administrative and technical workers and 19 local support staff by May 31. Moscow is dispatching special flights for its employees at the weekend.