MOSCOW — Russian officials lashed out at the West on Thursday, excoriating NATO for expelling two Russians suspected of spying and for pushing ahead with planned military exercises in Georgia.
In sharp contrast to the Obama administration’s call for a “reset” of U.S.-Russian relations and the recent thaw in Russian-NATO ties, it was a day of acrimony and veiled threats as Russian officials resorted to some of their toughest talk in weeks.
Two high-ranking members of Russia’s permanent mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization were stripped of their credentials and expelled from Belgium on accusations of espionage, the alliance’s leadership announced Thursday. The two were identified as political desk chief Viktor Kochukov and mission attache and executive secretary Vasily Chizhov.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called the expulsions “provocative” and issued a statement warning NATO to “think about the consequences of what happened. We will certainly make our own conclusions from this provocation.”
Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s permanent envoy to NATO, said the charges of espionage were false, calling them “unprecedented crude steps aimed to unbalance Russia and derail newly resumed talks between Russia and the alliance.” The expulsions came just as the Russia-NATO Council met for the first time since Russia’s war last summer with Georgia.
“I want to say that, in line with established diplomatic practice, this act will not remain unanswered,” Rogozin told Interfax.
NATO suspended political contact after troops crossed into Georgia last summer — provoked, Russia said, by a Georgian assault on the breakaway republic of South Ossetia.
Wednesday marked the first day of renewed political discussion between the two sides. But the talks came amid increased tension over NATO plans to hold military exercises in Georgia next week.
The exercises were scheduled long before last year’s war, but Russian officials argue that they constitute a potentially destabilizing threat and should be abandoned.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday called the exercises “an open provocation” and warned the West that it would be responsible for any ensuing troubles.
“It is common knowledge that no exercises shall be held where there was war recently,” he said.
