KYIV – In a tit-for-tat move on Tuesday, Ukraine expelled the Russian consul general in Odessa. The country’s Foreign Ministry declared the Russian diplomat persona non grata in retaliation to Moscow’s expulsion of a Ukrainian diplomat on Monday.

“In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine declares the Consul of the Consulate-General of the Russian Federation in Odessa to be an undesirable person to stay in Ukraine. He must leave the territory of Ukraine by the end of the day on April 30, 2021,” it said.

Tensions between the two neighbors have risen in recent weeks with both countries expelling each other’s diplomats.

Earlier this month, Russia’s security agency said it has detained the Ukrainian consul general in Saint Petersburg over spying allegations. He was asked to leave the country.

Ukraine responded by prompting a senior diplomat from Russia’s Embassy in Kyiv to leave the country.