Russia expelling 14 Bulgarian diplomats - Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. Aug 5 (Interfax) - Russia is expelling 14 employees of the Bulgarian embassy and consulates in a retaliatory move, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website on Friday.

"Bulgarian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia A. Krastin has been invited to the Russian Foreign Ministry and presented with a ministry note that declared 14 employees of the Bulgarian embassy and consulates in Russia personae non-gratae and unacceptable persons," the statement said.

"This is a response to the completely unmotivated decision of Bulgaria to declare 70 employees of our diplomatic mission personae non-gratae and unacceptable persons, to cap the Russian diplomatic, administrative and technical personnel in Bulgaria, and to suspend operation of the Russian consulate general in Ruse," it said.

"The responsibility for the consequences of these counterproductive steps fully rests with the Bulgarian government led by Mr. [Kiril] Petkov," the ministry said.

"We have no doubt that the unfriendly moves towards Russia have nothing to do with the national interests of Bulgaria and its people," it said.