Tensions between Russia and Bulgaria have further escalated as Russia ordered the correspondent of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) in Moscow, Angel Grigorov, to leave the country. This move comes in direct response to Bulgaria's decision to expel Alexander Gatsak, a correspondent for the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, labeling him a threat to national security. In a tit-for-tat move, Grigorov was directed to hand over his accreditation documents in a message posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website. The Ministry characterized this expulsion as a "mirror measure" to protest what it sees as the "persecution" of Gatsak by the State Agency for National Security (SANS). Russia expressed its willingness to consider the possibility of reinstating the work of the BNR correspondent in Moscow if Bulgaria reciprocates by accrediting the journalist from "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" in Sofia. Russia cited the principles of media freedom and pragmatic cooperation as central to their stance. The expulsion of Angel Grigorov was handed down without prior notification to the journalist. This development took place shortly after Alexander Gatsak left Bulgaria in compliance with SANS's order.

The reciprocal expulsion of correspondents from each country marks a significant escalation in the ongoing diplomatic tensions between Russia and Bulgaria. The two nations have been engaged in a dispute that is deeply intertwined with media freedom, the handling of foreign correspondents, and the broader diplomatic relationship between the countries. The situation has raised concerns regarding the ability of journalists to report independently and carry out their work without fear of expulsion or retribution. With both nations taking this decisive action, it remains uncertain how the situation will evolve in the coming days and whether it may affect the freedom and safety of foreign correspondents working in these countries.