Russia expels Ukrainian diplomat in tit-for-tat move

Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday it had expelled a Ukrainian diplomat in retaliation for Kyiv kicking out an employee of the Russian embassy earlier this month.

Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday it had expelled a Ukrainian diplomat in retaliation for Kyiv kicking out an employee of the Russian embassy earlier this month. Russia and Ukraine expelled a diplomat each earlier this month after Moscow accused a Ukrainian consul in St. Petersburg of trying to obtain classified information.

Relations between Moscow and Kyiv have been dire since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and backed a pro-Russian separatist insurgency in east Ukraine. Tensions have soared in recent weeks over a Russian military build-up near the Ukrainian border that raised alarm in both Kyiv and in the West.

Russia, which said the build-up had been part of military exercises, said last week it had begun returning the troops to their permanent bases.