Russia Expels Italian Military Attachés in Tit-for-Tat Diplomatic Move

Russia has expelled Italy's military attaché in Moscow, along with one of his colleagues, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced. According to Tajani, Moscow took the step "without any grounds." He described Russia's decision as "an obvious act of retaliation" for Italy's earlier expulsion of Russian diplomats from Rome over allegations of espionage. Russia Calls the Move a Reciprocal Measure Italy announced the expulsion of two military attachés from the Russian Embassy in Rome on July 9. The Italian Foreign Ministry declined to disclose the reasons behind its decision.