Ukraine, just to be on the safe side, has decided in advance to justify itself for not expelling Russian diplomats in the "Skripal case". It turns out that Kiev does not do this because a responsive expulsion of the diplomatic mission staff will leave Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia without any support. This is what first vice-speaker of the parliament Iryna Herashchenko has written in her Facebook account.
"There has long been no Russian ambassador in Ukraine as we never accepted his agrement. There is no Ukraine’s ambassador to the Russian Federation, either. Our diplomatic relations have been reduced to a critical minimum," Herashchenko wrote.
According to her, without the support of consuls, Ukrainian political prisoners "will remain face to face with the Mordor, without any chance to see a Ukrainian representative at least once in a few months, to feel minimal support."
Recall that after the incident with the poisoning of former GRU intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter, the United Kingdom expelled 23 Russian diplomats. Lithuania is ready to resort to similar measures. Bloomberg reported that Donald Trump is also going to announce the expulsion of Russian diplomats on March 26.