Battle of ambassadors between Berlin and Moscow, which in turn expels two German diplomats

In response to a similar measure taken last week by Berlin, which accuses Moscow of having ordered the assassination of a Chechen opponent in Germany in 2019, Russia announced on Monday the expulsion of two German diplomats.

“The Russian side categorically rejects the unfounded accusations out of touch with reality relating to the involvement of Russian state structures in this crime,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement announcing the expulsion of the two German diplomats.

The Russian reply “completely unjustified”

The ministry, which did not specify when diplomats will have to leave the country, stressed that Russia “will continue to respond adequately and proportionately to any attack on Berlin.” According to German diplomacy, the Russian response, “completely unjustified”, will “weigh even more on bilateral relations”.

On December 15, the Berlin Court sentenced to life imprisonment a Russian convicted of the murder of a former Chechen separatist fighter, a national of Georgia, in a park in Berlin on August 23, 2019.

A “political” verdict according to Moscow

The President of the Court, Olaf Arnoldi, directly questioned the Russian authorities, arguing that they had “ordered the accused to liquidate the victim”. In the wake of the verdict, Berlin announced the expulsion of two Russian diplomats. Former Chechen separatist leader, the victim, Tornike Kavtarashvili, had fought against Russian forces between 2000 and 2004 and since 2016 had lived with his family in Germany where he had applied for asylum.

The murderer, riding a bicycle, approached from behind and shot the victim twice before finishing him off with a point-blank shot in the head. He had been arrested near the scene of the crime. Moscow, which has always denied any involvement, denounced a “political” verdict.