Lithuania expels Russian ambassador
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has announced that Vilnius is expelling Russian ambassador Alexei Isakov from Lithuania.
The Russian consulate in the city of Klaipeda will also be closed.
“In response to Russia’s relentless aggressive actions against the sovereign country of Ukraine and the atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in various occupied cities throughout Ukraine, including the horrific murders in Bucha, the Lithuanian government has made the decision to downgrade the status of diplomatic representation, and the Russian ambassador will have to leave Lithuania,” Landsbergis said, speaking to journalists.
Vilnius notified its EU and NATO partners of the decision and urged them to do the same.
"The cruelty of the occupying forces of Russia has transgressed any norms of the civilized world. What the world saw in Bucha, unfortunately, can only be the beginning. As other cities are liberated, we can expect to see other examples of terrible war crimes," Landsbergis added.