MOSCOW: Moscow said Thursday it was expelling four Austrian diplomats after Vienna expelled four employees of Russia’s foreign missions in Austria, with tensions soaring over the Ukraine conflict.

The foreign ministry said the expulsion of its diplomats had been an “unfriendly and unjustified step” that “causes serious damage to bilateral relations, which are already in crisis due to the actions of the Austrian side”. Austria and other EU nations have expelled dozens of Russian diplomats since Moscow launched a military campaign in Ukraine, with Russia reciprocating the measures.