North Macedonia has declared six Russian diplomats personae non gratae for violating diplomatic norms and ordered them to leave the country, the Foreign Ministry said on April 15.
“These individuals were carrying out activities that are contrary to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and will have to leave the territory of the Republic of North Macedonia in the next five days," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Russian Embassy said the allegations were "completely unfounded" and warned of "serious consequences."
"The Russian side will take measures, not necessarily symmetrical, but meaningful as an answer to this step," the embassy said on Twitter.
It is the second expulsion of Russian diplomats from North Macedonia since Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Last month, five Russian diplomats were ordered to leave North Macedonia for what Skopje described as “inappropriate” diplomatic activities.
In 2021, North Macedonia expelled two Russian diplomats in separate incidents.
Two years before that, a Russian diplomat was expelled for "domestic security reasons" and in solidarity with Britain over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England.