Tensions rise as Germany and Russia expel diplomats and staff

Russia is set to expel several hundred German state employees, including diplomats, teachers, and staff of German cultural institutions, starting next month. The move comes in response to the reduction of the presence of Russian intelligence services in Germany earlier this year. The German foreign ministry criticized the decision, calling it "unilateral, unjustified, and incomprehensible." Germany did not announce any concrete response to the expulsions, but the Foreign Office said it would ensure a "real balance" in practice with regard to the upper limit on the Russian presence in Germany.