BREAKING NEWS

Bulgaria expels Russian diplomat over espionage

Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry has given a Russian diplomat 72 hours to leave the country after prosecutors alleged he has been involved in espionage in the Balkan country since 2017, it said on Wednesday.

A ministry spokesman said it had informed the Russian Embassy in Sofia.

In a separate statement, prosecutors said the Russian diplomat has been seeking sensitive military information, including on the number of US troops deployed to NATO member Bulgaria during military drills.

Russia's Embassy to Sofia said on Friday that Bulgaria's expulsion of a Russian diplomat was groundless and that Moscow reserved the right to respond.