Moscow says it is expelling several Japanese and Norwegian diplomats and placing sanctions on 287 British lawmakers in retaliation for similar steps against Russians over the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on April 27 it had summoned the ambassadors from Japan and Norway and informed them that they had declared eight diplomats from Japan and three from Norway personae non gratae.
The ministry also said it had placed sanctions on 287 members of the House of Commons in response to the British government's March 11 decision to impose personal sanctions on 386 members of the Russian parliament's lower chamber, the State Duma.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into pro-Western Ukraine on February 24, the West slapped wide-ranging sanctions on Moscow, including the exclusion of several banks from the SWIFT messaging system, embargoes on Russian exports, new restrictions on investments, and asset freezes for government officials and their families.
Western countries have also announced the coordinated expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats suspected of spying.
