Russia expels German diplomat, accuses Berlin of ‘spy mania’

MOSCOW, Feb 5 (Reuters) – Russia expelled a German diplomat on Thursday in response to what it said was Berlin’s groundless expulsion of a Russian diplomat last month and accused Germany of being in the grip of “spy mania”.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it had summoned the head of the German Embassy in Moscow to issue a formal protest over Berlin’s treatment of the Russian diplomat. It said Germany’s accusation that the expelled Russian diplomat had been engaged in spying was false and “a low-level provocation”.

“It was emphasised that the unsubstantiated accusations of espionage brought against him by the official Berlin authorities are completely groundless and fabricated in the spirit of the ‘spy mania’ being whipped up in Germany by the German authorities,” the Russian statement said.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, speaking during a trip to Brunei, accused Moscow of resorting to unjustified retaliatory measures instead of diplomacy.

“The expulsion of a German diplomat from Russia is completely unfounded and totally unacceptable,” he said, adding: “We reserve the right to take further action.”

Wadephul said the diplomat in question had been a member of the German Embassy’s military attache staff.

Security services across Europe have warned of a growing threat from Russian intelligence agencies seeking to deter Western powers from helping Ukraine to defend itself against Russia.

On Monday Britain also expelled a Russian diplomat in what it said was a reciprocal move after Moscow last month expelled a British diplomat accusing them of being an undeclared spy.

Moscow has denied it is behind what Western intelligence officials have cast as a sabotage campaign across Europe.

(Additional reporting by Ludwig Burger and Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Andrew Osborn and Friederike Heine; Editing by Madeline Chambers and Gareth Jones)