Russia expels two Swedish diplomats: Sweden's foreign ministry

Sweden's foreign ministry said Moscow had expelled two of its diplomats Wednesday, following a Swedish move to deny visas to two Russian envoys, in the latest blow to relations already shaken by a row over spying. The Swedish foreign ministry said Russia's decision followed Stockholm's refusal to extend one Russian diplomat's visa and deny the application for a diplomatic visa for another Russian citizen.

"Russia has responded by asking two Swedish diplomats to leave Russia, which we regret," ministry spokeswoman Sofia Nahringbauer, told AFP. Nahringbauer said the ministry did not want to comment on whether Sweden would take any further actions.

In late February Swedish authorities arrested a technology worker suspected of spying for Russia. Swedish security services said at the time they believed the person had been "recruited as an agent by a Russian intelligence officer posing as a diplomat in Sweden".

A year ago, Swedish security police warned of the "high threat posed by foreign spies". "Russia poses the biggest intelligence threat to Sweden," the head of the Swedish security police's counter-intelligence unit, Daniel Stenling, said at the time.

(With inputs from agencies.)