This can include adverts from us and the 3rd parties based on our understanding. Sergei Lavrov, 71, announced the Kremlin has moved to suspend its permanent mission in NATO following a souring of relations between the bloc and Russia. Tensions between the Kremlin and NATO became increasingly strained after Ukraine annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 by Russia.
Four years later, NATO opted to expel seven Russian diplomats following the fatal nerve agent attack in Salisbury. Since then, the Russian contingent had reduced by another eight earlier in March after Russian diplomats were accused of working covertly as intelligence officers. The most recent NATO move lowered the overall size of the Russian delegation to just ten diplomatic members of staff. Mr Lavrov's announcement, set to come into effect as soon as November 1, will also see Russia strip NATO's Moscow office of all accreditation. Just in: 'Not a missile! China calls recent launch "routine test" as it rejects rocket reports.
According to the Financial Times, the Kremlin's Foreign Minister said: We do not have the conditions for even basic diplomatic activity as a result of intentional steps by NATO. The 71-year-old added: In response to NATO's actions, we are suspending the work of our permanent mission to NATO. Russian media outlets say Lavrov have also advised NATO that if they wish to contact Russia on urgent matters then they should do so through Belgium's Ambassador in Russia. NATO has responded to Mr Lavrov's comments since then.