Germany expels Russian diplomat in retaliation

BERLIN - German Federal Foreign Office on Monday declared a staff member of the Russian embassy in Berlin as persona non grata, in response to Russia's expulsion of a German diplomat on Friday.

"Russia expelled several EU diplomats, including one at the German embassy. This decision was not justified in any way," said a statement of the office, adding that the German diplomat was merely carrying out his task of reporting developments on the spot in a legal fashion.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday expelled three EU envoys from Germany, Sweden and Poland respectively, saying that they participated in unauthorized protests in support of jailed dissident Alexei Navalny and were considered "personae non gratae" in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Friday that Russia's expulsion of EU diplomats would further damage Russia's relationship with Europe.