Russia declares Moldovan diplomat undesirable in retaliatory move

Nov 10 (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it had declared a Moldovan diplomat at the country's Moscow embassy undesirable in retaliation for a similar Moldovan move undertaken last month.

A statement posted on the ministry's website said Moldova's ambassador had been summoned to be informed of the decision "based ⁠on the principle of reciprocity," referring to a Moldovan decision dated October 23 to declare an employee of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau a 'persona non grata.'

Ex-Soviet Moldova, lying between Ukraine and Romania and led by pro-European President Maia Sandu, is seeking membership of the European Union ⁠by 2030.

The Moldovan government has issued a long series of protests about what it says are Russian drones from the more than 4-1/2-year-old war ⁠in Ukraine that have landed on its territory.

In one incident in mid-October, it said five drones crashed inside ⁠Moldova in less than 24 hours.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moldova had provided ⁠no proof that the drones were Russian and accused Moldovan authorities of whipping up anti-Russian sentiment.

Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrea Ricci