Russian embassy in Norway says it is reducing consular staff to two

(Reuters) -Russia's embassy in Norway said on Monday it was reducing its consular staff to two in accordance with a demand submitted by Norwegian authorities, according to a statement posted on Facebook.

"In accordance with a demand from the Norwegian side for reductions by 17th October 2024, the embassy's diplomatic contingent in its consular section will be reduced to only two diplomats," the statement said.

It said consular services would be reduced as a result.

Norway's foreign ministry said there had been a dialogue with Russia over time to ensure a diplomatic presence in both countries.

"This is not a question of expelling diplomats from Norway," a foreign ministry spokesperson in Oslo said in a written statement to Reuters.

Norway in April last year it had expelled 15 Russian embassy officials which the Norwegian foreign ministry said were intelligence officers operating under the cover of diplomatic positions.

The Russian embassy in Oslo at the time described Norway's decision as "another extremely unfriendly step".

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and by Terje Solsvik in Oslo; Editing by Sandra Maler and Jamie Freed)