Russia expels Norwegian diplomat

MOSCOW: The Russian foreign ministry on Friday said it had expelled a senior Norwegian diplomat in retaliation after Oslo expelled a Russian diplomat following the arrest of a suspected spy.

The Russian ministry said that "as a retaliatory measure" a senior diplomat at the Norwegian embassy was declared persona non grata and must leave within three days. Russia accused Norway of taking a "destructive course" that would "inevitably negatively affect the atmosphere of bilateral relations.

Norwegian foreign ministry spokeswoman Guri Solberg called the diplomat’s expulsion "totally without foundation" in a statement sent to AFP. Norway named the diplomat as Jan Flaete.