Diplomat Accused Of Spying And Expelled By NATO, Russian Official Says Moscow Will Retaliate

Ilustrasi markas NATO. (Wikimedia Commons/U.S. Department of State)

JAKARTA - Eight members of the delegation from Russia's mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have been repatriated from Brussels, Belgium on suspicion of being an 'unreported Russian intelligence officer', a NATO official said, Wednesday.

The expulsion of the Russian diplomat is a new setback in East-West relations, with conditions currently at a post-Cold War low.

The expulsion information previously reported by Sky News said the Russian mission in Nato would be halved, in response to alleged harmful activities, including espionage and assassinations.

"We can confirm that we have revoked the accreditation of eight members of the Russian Mission to NATO, who were not declared Russian intelligence officers", the NATO official said, adding that the number of positions Moscow could accredit to NATO had been cut to 10, as quoting Reuters October 7.

"NATO's policy towards Russia remains consistent. We have strengthened our deterrence and defense in response to Russia's aggressive actions, while at the same time we remain open to meaningful dialogue", the official added.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the reasons cited by Sky News for the reduction of the Russian delegation. Meanwhile, there was no immediate comment from the Kremlin.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Grushko, accused NATO of duplicity, using the idea of \u200b\u200bthe alleged threat from Moscow as a scourge for its own ends.

"Nato leaders yesterday spoke about the importance of reducing escalation with Russia, supporting the resumption of dialogue within the framework of the Russia-NATO Council", Grushko told the daily newspaper Kommersant.

"If anyone believes in the sincerity of that statement, then today they don't. Their true value is clear to everyone. After the dramatic end of the Afghan era, how can they survive without the 'Russian threat'. They can't", he continued.

Western relations with Russia remain strained on everything from Ukraine to alleged Russian election interference, to the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal with his daughter.

Separately, the Interfax news agency quoted Leonid Slutsky, head of Russia's lower house of parliament's international affairs committee, as saying Moscow would retaliate, but not necessarily in the same way.

Slutsky said the position of Russia's envoy to the European Union was currently vacant and said NATO's move would undermine dialogue between Moscow and the West.

"This collective West move continues its policy of diplomatic confrontation with Russia", he said.

Russia accuses NATO of provocatively expanding its military infrastructure closer to its borders. Meanwhile, NATO says it is determined to strengthen the security of member states close to Russia, following Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.