The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassador of Moldova to protest against what it called “politically-motivated persecution” of Russian-language media in the pro-Western country.

The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that the expulsion of Moldova’s Sputnik bureau chief was part of an ongoing campaign of “politically motivated persecution” of Russian-language media in Moldova.

In mid-September, Moldova expelled the country chief of Russia’s state news agency Sputnik, accusing the outlet of spreading “propaganda and disinformation.” Moscow said that a number of people who are involved in restricting “freedom of speech and the rights of Russian journalists in Moldova” will be banned from entering the country.

Source: Qatar News Agency