MOSCOW, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Monday declared two Italian diplomats persona non grata in response to Italy's earlier decision to expel Russian military diplomats, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
In a statement, the ministry said it had summoned Italy's charge d'affaires ad interim in Moscow over Italy's "groundless" demand that the Russian Embassy's naval and air force attache, as well as the assistant naval attache, leave Italian territory.
The ministry declared two Italian diplomats, Assistant Defense Attache Vittorio Parrella and embassy official Davide D'Aprile, persona non grata.
The two Italian diplomats and their family members have been instructed to leave Russia within three days, the ministry said. ■
