Moscow continues diplomatic retaliation and expels Bulgarian embassy employees.

Moscow is expelling employees of the Bulgarian embassy, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

"Atanas Krastin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation, was invited to the Russian Foreign Ministry, where he was presented with a note from the Ministry declaring employees of the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow as "persona non grata" (unacceptable)," the statement read.

The ministry noted that this measure is a response to Bulgaria's decision taken in March to declare 10 diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Sofia as "persona non grata.