Russia closes Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian consulates in retaliation

MOSCOW - Russia has ordered the closure of Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian consular missions in St. Petersburg in a tit-for-tat move, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

The ambassadors of Latvia and Estonia and the Lithuanian charge d'affaires were summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry Thursday in protest over the closure of Russian consulates and expulsion of staff in these countries.

On the basis of reciprocity, and taking into account the military assistance that these countries are providing to Ukraine, Russia decided to "withdraw consent to the activities" of the three countries' consulate generals in St. Petersburg, as well as Latvia's consulate and Estonia's office in Pskov, a city close to the border with Estonia, according to the statement.

"The heads and other consular officials of the Estonian and Latvian consular missions are declared 'personae non gratae,'" the ministry added.