Moldova’s Foreign Ministry said the decision was taken following “ongoing tensions and unfriendly actions”, and that embassy staff and diplomats would have to leave by 15 August, writes Euronews.

Several diplomats from the Russian embassy in the Republic of Moldova left the country on a charter plane on Monday morning, after being expelled in the wake of what Moldovan authorities called “unfriendly actions”.

The flight was scheduled to take off at 9:00 am (local time) with approximately 100 people on board. Among them were diplomats and technical staff from the Russian embassy, as well as their family members. They were taken to the airport in two buses, while others seem to have left in their cars and other chartered means.

A demonstration in support of the expelled diplomats took place in front of the Russian embassy.

Moldova announced in late July that it was expelling 45 Russian diplomats and other embassy staff after reports suggested that new surveillance equipment was installed on the Russian embassy roof and a neighbouring building used by Russia.