Estonia’s Foreign Ministry said on 13 Aug. that it has ordered the First Secretary of the Russian Embassy in Tallinn to leave the country, accusing the diplomat of “interference” in Estonia’s internal affairs. The ministry did not disclose further details of the alleged activities or set a deadline for the departure but noted that the decision took immediate effect. Moscow condemned the expulsion. Russia’s Foreign Ministry described the measure as a “hostile action” and warned that it would take reciprocal steps. The episode adds another layer of tension to relations between the two countries, which have been strained since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.