Moldova says it will expel 45 Russian diplomats and other embassy staff because of their “unfriendly actions”.

The total will be cut to just 25 – a figure closer to the number Moldova has at its Moscow embassy.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 the Moldovan government has accused Moscow of spying and backing opposition groups.

Russia condemned the expulsion and said it would “not go unanswered”.