The Ambassador of Moldova in Moscow, Lilian Drey, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry to protest and announce the expulsion of an employee of the diplomatic mission of Moldova as a reciprocal measure, the Russian side reported.
"A strong protest was lodged against the declaration of an employee of the Russian embassy in Chisinau as persona non grata by the Moldovan authorities on October 23, under the official pretext of the alleged discovery in Moldovan territory of the remains of a UAV carrying explosives," Moscow said.
In light of these events, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the lack of evidence of the Russian origin of the mentioned UAV "indicates the lack of foundation of the decision" made in Chisinau, which is "another hostile step on the part of Moldova".