MOSCOW: Russia to expel 23 British diplomats: Foreign ministry!

• Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday Moscow had already decided on retaliatory measures.

The Russian foreign ministry announced Saturday it will expel 23 British diplomats within a week in a tit-for-tat response to London's measures over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter.

"Twenty three diplomatic staff at the British embassy in Moscow are declared persona non grata and to be expelled within a week," the foreign ministry said in a statement after summoning the British ambassador Laurie Bristow.