On Friday, February 5, the Russian Federation stated that it is expelling diplomats from three European countries: Sweden, Poland and Germany, alleging they participated in recent illegal protests.

This was announced in the official statement of the Ministry of Foreign affairs of the Russsian Federation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the diplomats were declared "personae non grata" because of their participation in a Jan. 23 demonstrations. The country’s foreign ministry said that "such actions on their part are unacceptable and do not correspond to their diplomatic status”. The statement did not identify the protests, but demonstrations were held that day demanding the release of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

According to Reuters, the Swedish Foreign Ministry their diplomats did not attend the rallies in support of Navalny. Sweden rejected Russia's claims as "completely unfounded", saying its foreign ministry "reserves the right to an appropriate response."

"We refute Russia's claim that the diplomat participated in the demonstration," a Swedish Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

Poland summoned the Russian ambassador after one of its diplomats was told to leave St. Petersburg. The government said, "it expects the Russian authorities to reverse this erroneous decision."

A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell said that he learned of their expulsion during the talks. The EU's top diplomat "strongly condemned this decision and rejected the allegations that they conducted activities incompatible with their status as foreign diplomats."

"The decision should be reconsidered," the spokesman said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "We condemn Navalny's sentence and also the expelling of diplomats from Germany, Sweden and Poland."

It was "another facet" of "what can be observed quite far from the rule of law in Russia," Merkel added at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin. She said that the Nordstrom 2 pipeline will remain unaffected, but that Germany would continue to pursue sanctions against individuals in Russia. It was "strategic" and a "diplomatic task" to remain in conversation with Russia despite "deep differences" because "we are neighbours," Merkel added.

Macron meanwhile condemned the expulsion and Russia's treatment of Navalny and his supporters "with the utmost firmness."

The diplomats from Sweden and Poland are based in their countries' consulates in St. Petersburg, while the German diplomat is attached to their Moscow embassy.

Russia ordered all three diplomats to leave the country.