UPDATE - Russia vows 'mirror response' to mass expulsion of diplomats in Germany

UPDATE WITH REMARKS FROM RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Moscow on Saturday said it will give a "mirror response" to Germany's decision to expel Russian diplomats in Berlin.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the German authorities informed the national media about the decision to announce a new mass expulsion of Russian diplomats.

"The German side, despite its repeated assurances of unwillingness to make this story public, informed media representatives, which it regularly uses to organize controlled leaks and spread disinformation, of its venture," the ministry said.

In response to Berlin's "hostile actions," Moscow decided to take a "mirror response" about the expulsion of German diplomats from Russia and about setting limits on maximum number of employees of German diplomatic services, it added.

German Ambassador to Russia Geza Andreas von Geyr had earlier been invited to the ministry and officially informed about the developments, it said.

Spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova told Russian Zvezda TV channel that more than 20 German diplomats will be expelled.