Moscow, June 25 (IANS) Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday it had summoned Romanian Ambassador Cristian Istrate to formally inform Bucharest regarding the retaliatory measures over the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Constanta.
“Romania’s ambassador has been called to the Russian Foreign Ministry to be notified of Moscow’s response to the closure of its consulate in Constanta,” Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
According to the Ministry, the Ambassador was presented with a note declaring the Consul General of Romania in St. Petersburg persona non grata and the upcoming closure of the consular office.
“This measure is a response to Bucharest’s unfounded revocation of consent for the operation of the Russian Consulate General in Constanta and the declaration of its director as persona non grata,” noted the Ministry.
Last month, a maritime drone self-detonated in Romania’s Constanta port, causing no casualties.
Following the incident, Romanian President Nicusor Dan announced the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Constanta and declared the Consul General persona non grata.
He made the decision after a meeting of the country’s Supreme Council of National Defence, where they discussed the consequences of a drone crash into an apartment in the Romanian city of Galati.
“In this situation, the Russian Consul General in Constanta has been declared persona non grata, and the Russian Consulate General in Constanta will be closed,” said Dan.
According to the Romanian Ministry of National Defence, “during the night of 28 to 29 May, the Russian Federation resumed drone attacks against civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine, in the vicinity of Romania’s river border.”
A drone entered the Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar systems as far as the Southern area of the Galati municipality, and crashed onto the roof of a residential apartment building, the impact causing a fire, noted the Ministry.
–IANS
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