Italy Expels Two Russian Embassy Staff Over Alleged Espionage Activities

ROME, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Italy has decided to expel two military attaches working at the Russian Embassy in Rome, who were allegedly involved in espionage activities, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday.

Rome prosecutors accused the two embassy staff of being allegedly linked to espionage activities. Tajani said the secretary-general of the Italian Foreign Ministry had informed the Russian ambassador to Italy that they must leave Rome within three days.

Tajani blamed Moscow for continuing to use "hybrid tools" against Italy and the West, calling such interference in Italy's state institutions and national security "serious and unacceptable."

In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow "will respond" to the expulsion of the two military attaches.

The expulsions are linked to an ongoing investigation by Rome prosecutors into an alleged espionage case involving Russia. According to Sky TG24, two former officers of Italy's domestic security department had previously been arrested.

Prosecutors accused them of passing classified information to Russian intelligence contacts in exchange for money, with some leaked material relating to armaments and other military projects. 

--NNN-dpa