Russia Expels Italian Diplomat in Tit-for-Tat Move

According to an official statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, a staff member from the Italian Embassy will have to leave the country in 24 hours, RIA Novosti reported.

"On April 26, Italian Ambassador Pasquale Terracciano was handed a note from the ministry declaring Assistant Defence Attaché and Naval Attaché Pacifichi 'persona non grata' in retaliation for the unfriendly and unjustified actions of the Italian authorities in relation to the military attaché at the Russian Embassy in Rome," the statement read.

The spat between the two countries emerged after Italian law enforcement services detained two servicemen on grounds of espionage on March 30. As a result, Rome expelled two Russian diplomats, claiming they were linked to spy operations in the country.