The Russian Foreign Ministry declared 14 Bulgarian diplomats persona non grata.

The ministry said in a statement.

"On August 5, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation was invited to the Russian Foreign Ministry, where he was handed a note from the ministry to declare "persona pop grata" and unacceptable 14 employees of the Bulgarian diplomatic mission and consular institutions in Russia," the report said.

As noted, the measure was a response to the decision of the Bulgarian side to declare 70 employees of the Russian diplomatic mission undesirable persons, introduce quotas on the number of diplomatic and administrative and technical personnel of Russia in Bulgaria, as well as close the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in the city of Ruse.

"We believe that such actions not only cause significant harm to traditional ties between our countries, limiting the rights of compatriots deprived of access to consular services, but also indicate further degradation of the collective West, ready to sacrifice the interests of partners to harm Russia," said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Diplomatic tensions between Bulgaria and Russia worsened after the government in Sofia decided to expel 70 members of the Russian diplomatic mission. Russian diplomats and officials flew to Moscow in early July.

After that Russian ambassador to Sofia Eleonora Mitrofanova delivered an ultimatum to Bulgarian authorities to cancel their decision, otherwise, she threatened, Russia would close its embassy in Bulgaria.

Prime Minister Kirill Petkov rejected Mitrofanova's request, stating that "we will not allow foreign diplomats to issue ultimatums. Mitrofanova said she would ask Moscow authorities to close the embassy in Bulgaria.