On 27 March 2024, the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, Oleg Zykov, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, and protest was expressed to him in the strongest possible terms by the Latvian side over the unacceptable and provocational public communication pursued by the Embassy over an extended period, which is in stark contradiction to the letter and spirit of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The Embassy of Russia, regardless repeated reprimands from the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has continued inaccurate public communication aimed at the discreditation of public institutions and authorities of the Latvian state and inciting hatred among society in Latvia.
In view of the above, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia has taken a decision to declare one diplomat of the Embassy of the Russian Federation persona non grata. The Russian diplomat must leave Latvia by the end of the day this coming 10 April.