Russia expels German diplomat in tit-for-tat move

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MOSCOW -  Russia said Thursday it was expelling a German diplomat after Berlin last month threw out a Russian official it accused of being a spy handler.

The foreign ministry said it had issued a "note declaring a diplomatic employee of the German Embassy in Moscow persona non grata" in what was a "symmetrical response."

Moscow also rejected Germany's accusations of espionage as "baseless" and accused Berlin of whipping up "a spirit of spy mania".

Germany in January summoned Russia's ambassador and ordered the expulsion of a diplomat suspected of being the handler of a woman arrested on espionage charges.

Russia at the time dismissed the allegations as baseless and vowed a response.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday called the expulsion "completely unacceptable".

"While our diplomats abide by the law, Russia relies on escalation and espionage under the guise of diplomacy," Wadephul said during a visit to Brunei.

Wadephul said that "Russia's latest unfriendly act... merely demonstrates once again that Russia prioritises unjustified retaliation over diplomacy," and added that "we reserve the right to take further action".

The expelled German diplomat is part of the military attaché staff of the German Embassy in Moscow, Wadephul said.

Western states have ejected dozens of alleged Russian spies over the last decade as relations soured even before the war in Ukraine.

The expulsions have typically triggered a tit-for-tat response from Moscow.