This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/8026794.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Nato 'expels Russian diplomats' Nato 'expels Russian diplomats'
(about 1 hour later)
Russia has confirmed Nato has expelled two of its diplomats from Brussels, reportedly in retaliation for a spy scandal involving an Estonian official.Russia has confirmed Nato has expelled two of its diplomats from Brussels, reportedly in retaliation for a spy scandal involving an Estonian official.
A Russian foreign ministry told the Interfax news agency it was "clarifying the circumstances of the expulsions to determine possible actions". In a statement, the Russian foreign ministry described the expulsions as "outrageous" and a "crude provocation".
The Russian diplomats reportedly worked as undercover intelligence agents. Nato diplomats claimed the Russians were undercover intelligence agents.
In February, Herman Simm was jailed for 12 years in February by an Estonian court for passing secrets to Moscow. The official, Herman Simm, was jailed for 12 years in February by an Estonian court for passing Nato defence and diplomatic secrets to Moscow.
The court where the former head of Estonia's national security system was tried did not reveal which country he spied for, but investigators said Mr Simm passed nearly 3,000 documents to Russia.The court where the former head of Estonia's national security system was tried did not reveal which country he spied for, but investigators said Mr Simm passed nearly 3,000 documents to Russia.
They said he received 1.3m kroons (£74,000; $110,000) for the data. The Kremlin denied any involvement.They said he received 1.3m kroons (£74,000; $110,000) for the data. The Kremlin denied any involvement.
Nato made no comment at the time, but the case, Estonia's biggest spy scandal since the Cold War, was seen as an embarrassment for the former Soviet state, which joined the alliance in 2004.Nato made no comment at the time, but the case, Estonia's biggest spy scandal since the Cold War, was seen as an embarrassment for the former Soviet state, which joined the alliance in 2004.
'Crude provocation'
On Thursday, Russia's foreign ministry confirmed that Nato had expelled two of its diplomats, but said the move was unjustified.
This outrageous action fundamentally contradicts statements by Nato's leadership on its readiness to normalise ties with Russia Russian foreign ministry
"A crude provocation has been made in relation to two employees of Russia's permanent mission to Nato on an absolutely trumped up pretext without any clear explanation," it said.
"This outrageous action fundamentally contradicts statements by Nato's leadership on its readiness to normalise ties with Russia."
"The forces behind this provocation are not interested in giving an impetus to the current trend towards improving relations," it added.
Unnamed Nato diplomats said the expelled Russians were a political counsellor and a son of Vladimir Chizhov, Russia's envoy to the EU.
Both were attached to Russia's mission to Nato and were believed to have worked undercover as intelligence agents, the diplomats said.
"Our understanding is that this has been part of an investigation that has been going on for some time," one told the AFP news agency.
The Russian ambassador to Nato, Dmitry Rogozin, has so far refused to comment, but has called a press conference for later on Thursday.
The move came as Nato held its first formal talks with Russian representatives since last summer's war between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Treason
Investigators said Simm, who used to be the chief of Estonia's police service, had been working for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) since 1995, when he joined the Estonian defence ministry.
He became head of security at the ministry in 2000, handling classified information regarding Nato's communications and surveillance systems.
The investigators said Simm had met his SVR handlers, named as Valery Zemtsov and Sergei Yakovlev, three or four times a year in different European countries.
Simm, 61, was arrested last September after Mr Yakovlev allegedly tried to recruit a senior official from another country, who reported the incident to his own counter-intelligence service.
Mr Yakolev, who also used a fake Portuguese identity, was then seen meeting Simm. An international arrest warrant has since been issued for the Russian.
Simm, who was convicted of treason, was ordered to pay 20.2m kroons (£1.15m; $1.71m) to the Estonian defence ministry for the cost of new security systems.