Spanish Government expels 25 Russian diplomats from Spain

The Spanish Government has announced that it will expel 25 Russian diplomats following demands made by the Ukrainian Government.

Today, April 5, José Manuel Albares, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, has announced the immediate expulsion of 25 Russian diplomats and embassy staff members of the Russian Federation from Spain, stating that they “represent a threat to Spain’s security interests” and also “as a consequence of the atrocious warlike actions we have seen in Bucha and recently in Mariupol.”

This was the Spanish government’s response to express demands made by Dmitri Matyushenko, the second in command of the Ukrainian embassy in Spain. Matyushenko told the Spanish Government that “it is not the time to think, but to act” and that “it should expel Russian diplomats from Spain as soon as possible”, following other EU countries, such as Italy, Germany and France, which have already done so. 

Ukraine has also called for Russian honorary consuls in Spain to have their titles revoked as well as the seizure of Russian oligarchs’ assets in Spain.

Dmitry Matyushenko stated: “We expect tougher sanctions, especially against the oligarchs, it is not worth just seizing assets and putting them out of commission, they should make these assets work for humanitarian purposes, to help displaced Ukrainians.”

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