Russia’s ambassador to Lithuania was due to leave the country last week after the government decided to downgrade the diplomatic representation between Vilnius and Moscow to the level of charges d'affaires and ordered Russia's ambassador to leave the country in view of the Russian forces’ brutality in Ukraine.
On April 8, the Russian embassy in Vilnius sent a note to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry notifying that Russian Ambassador Alexey Isakov would leave the country by April 11, the ministry told BNS.
On April 4, the Russian embassy was notified by the Lithuanian ministry about the decision to revoke the authorization of Russia’s Consulate General in Klaipeda. Its staff was then given 15 days, i.e. until April 19, to leave Lithuania.
An announcement in the Russian language that the consulate was no longer providing services appeared on its website as early as on Tuesday.
In mid-March, Ambassador Isakov was summoned to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry and was handed a diplomatic note, declaring four employees of the Russian Embassy to be undesirable persons in Lithuania for activities incompatible with their diplomatic status. They were then told to leave Lithuanian within five days.
Meanwhile, early in April, the Lithuanian government decided to downgrade diplomatic representation between Lithuania and Russia in response to continuing Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine and atrocities committed by Russian forces in various occupied Ukrainian towns, including the massacre in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha.
The government then also decided to close the Russian consulate in the western port city of Klaipeda.
Following Lithuania's decision to downgrade its diplomatic representation, relations will be maintained at the level of lower-level diplomats, i.e. at the level of chargés d'affaires.