Estonia and Latvia order closure of Russian consulates over Bucha
The government in Tallinn ordered the Russian missions in the cities of Narva and Tartu to close, while Russian consulates in the Latvian cities of Daugavpils and Liepaja were ordered to close by the government in Riga.
- World
- DPA
- Published Date: 06:46 | 05 April 2022
- Modified Date: 07:00 | 05 April 2022
Estonia and Latvia have each ordered the closure of two Russian consulates as the scale of the atrocities carried out by the Russian military against civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha became apparent.
The government in Tallinn ordered the Russian missions in the cities of Narva and Tartu to close, while Russian consulates in the Latvian cities of Daugavpils and Liepaja were ordered to close by the government in Riga.
The orders will mean that numerous Russian diplomats will now have to leave the Baltic states. Estonia declared 14 diplomats undesirables, while Latvia expelled 13 - in both cases they have until April 30 to leave.
The third Baltic state, Lithuania, ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in the city of Klaipeda on Monday. The government in Vilnius also expelled Russia's ambassador.
All three Baltic states are home to larger Russian minorities.
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