The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to expel 15 Russian diplomats from the country, Reuters reported. After announcing the news, Russia promised an answer.

The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, citing its sources, said that the country's authorities intend to announce the expulsion of several dozen Russian diplomats today after similar steps were taken by France, Germany and other European countries.

According to the newspaper, the list of Russian diplomats to be expelled was drawn up the day before, and the decision was made during contacts between the Italian Foreign Ministry and the leadership of the Italian Council of Ministers with Berlin and Paris.

The Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi discussed it with the Secretary of the Council of Ministers Franco Gabrielli, who is responsible for state security issues in the republic, the newspaper writes.

“All Moscow diplomats working in Italy who will be expelled will be declared persona non grata,” the newspaper said, adding that Italian authorities believed the diplomats were linked to Russia's special services.

It later became clear that the Swedish Foreign Ministry had also decided to expel three Russian diplomats, Minister Ann Linde told a news conference.

“Russia's ambassador to Stockholm was summoned to the Foreign Ministry today to receive strong condemnation from Sweden and the EU. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also decided today to deport three Russian diplomats who do not work in Sweden in accordance with the Vienna Convention,” Linde explained.

The Spanish government has also decided to expel about 25 diplomats from the Russian embassy in the kingdom. This was announced at a press conference by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Alvarez.

“I want to inform you that this morning we have decided to expel from Spain Russian diplomats and employees of the Russian embassy in Spain, who pose a threat to our country's security interests,” he said. “We are talking about 25 people, we are currently refining the list.” The minister said he would give them a few days to leave the country.

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