Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry declared 10 Russian diplomats "persona non grata" and gave them 72 hours to leave the country "due to activities incompatible with their diplomatic status," Reuters reported.

Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Kiril Petkov had been consulted on the expulsion and the Russian ambassador in Sofia had been informed.

This is the second wave of expulsions of Russian diplomats from Bulgaria. On 2 March, Sofia expelled two Russian diplomats on charges of espionage.