Russia announced Saturday expulsion of more than 20 German diplomats, in retaliation to an unconfirmed similar move taken by Berlin. Russia will expel more than 20 diplomats, in retaliation to a German decision on expelling some Russian diplomats, Russia’s news agency (TASS) quoted Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russian Foreign Ministry, as saying. Her statement came shortly after the Ministry denounced “another mass expulsion of employees of Russian diplomatic missions in Germany”. The German authorities decided to expel some Russian diplomats although they promised that it would not do that, the agency reported, citing some diplomatic sources. Russia’s move on German diplomats came following the “mass” removal of Russian embassy staff from the country and accused Berlin of destroying ties, Russian state media said. The German Foreign Ministry said it took note of the Russian statements. “The Federal government and the Russian side have been [in] contact in recent weeks on personnel matters in their respective representations abroad,” the German Foreign Ministry told the AFP news agency. “Today’s flight is part of that process,” it said, without specifically mentioning any expulsion of Russian diplomats. Moscow accused Berlin of “continuing to demonstratively destroy the entire range of Russia-Germany relations”. “As a response to Berlin’s hostile actions, the Russian side has decided to mirror the decision and expel German diplomats from Russia,” the Foreign Ministry said. Moscow will also limit the maximum number of employees in German diplomatic missions in the country, and it said Germany’s ambassador Geza Andreas von Geyr was notified of the measures on April 5. Relations soured since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military operation in Ukraine, and as Berlin increased its financial and military support to Kyiv. The German security service also raised the level of alert regarding Russian espionage which it said had reached unprecedented levels after what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine. It said Russia was targeting German companies and strategic infrastructure, especially energy, rail and road. Early last year, Germany expelled 40 Russian diplomats who it said represented a security threat. — Agencies