Russia expels 7 diplomats of 4 EU countries

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday ordered several European countries' diplomats to leave in a week in retaliation for their recent expulsions of Russian diplomats, reported Xinhua.

The diplomats involved are three from Slovakia, two from Lithuania, one from Estonia and one more from Latvia.

The mutual expulsions came amid a fresh diplomatic row over the past weeks between Russia and Western countries, including so far the United States, Italy, the Czech Republic, the three Baltic states, Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to blacklist "unfriendly countries" and vowed necessary sanctions.