OREANDA-NEWS. According to the Colombian newspaper Tiempo, citing authoritative sources, the Colombian government has decided to expel from the country two Russian diplomats suspected of intelligence activities. Information about this was received from the US and UK special services.

On December 22, the Tiempo newspaper, on the basis of data of the sources in the Colombian government, wrote that the authorities of the country had expelled two Russian diplomats who were suspected of some intelligence activities. According to sources, Russian diplomats used to recruite informants in the city of Cali allegedly. It is also alleged that, in addition to military intelligence, they are suspected in economic espionage, because they showed some interest in confidential information connected with the development of local mineral resources.

According to the newspaper, the US and British intelligence services allegedly initially paid attention to the raised flow of encrypted messages from Colombia. The evidence presented by these special services then became "key" for the government of the President of Colombia to decide on this controversial diplomatic step. As for reaction of the Russian side, the Russian Federation was forsed to refute the accusations of interference in the internal affairs of other countries several times.

On Wednesday, the Russian side was forced to retaliate. Russia declared persona non grata two employees of the Colombian embassy in Moscow, who left the Russian Federation on the same day.