Bulgarian Foreign Ministry declares two Russian diplomats Persona Non Grata

Bulgaria has declared two Russian diplomats persona non grata over a spy affair uncovered late last week. According to BNT sources, the two diplomats are Maxim Ribkin, First Secretary of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sofia and Alexander Zinkin, Second Secretary. The embassy described the decision of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry as unfounded. They clarify that Moscow reserves the right to retaliate. After nearly 24 hours of hearings, the Sofia Military Court remanded in custody the five detained for espionage for Moscow.

On March 22, the deputy ambassador was summoned to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry and handed a note, through which two senior diplomats - First Secretary of the Embassy Maxim Ribkin and Second Secretary Alexander Zinkin have been declared a persona non grata and were given 72 hours to leave the country.

The decision follows the detention (March 19) of six people on suspicion of spying for Russia, five of whom were remanded.