Moscow, April 19 (IANS) The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced the expulsion of 20 staffers of the Czech Embassy in Moscow as a retaliatory move against the removal of of 18 Russian diplomats from Prague, for allegedly being "identified as members of the Russian secret services".

The Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it summoned the Czech Ambassador to Russia Vitezslav Pivonka and strongly protested against the unfriendly act of the authorities in Prague.

Pivonka was informed that these 20 people from the Czech Embassy must leave Russia by the end of Monday.

The Ministry also required the Czech Embassy to reduce the number of locally hired staffers to the same level as that of the Russian mission in Prague.

It added that the Czech authorities used "unfounded and far-fetched pretexts" to continue their anti-Russian tirade in recent years and to please the US following the recent American sanctions against Moscow

In a statement on Saturday, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Hamacek said: "I decided to expel all the employees of the Russian embassy in Prague who have been clearly identified by our special services as officers of the Russian intelligence agencies SVR and GRU. Within 48 hours, 18 staff members of the Russian embassy must leave the Czech Republic."

Prime Minister Andrej Babis said the 18 staffers were also allegedly involvement in the 2014 twin ammunition depot explosions in the Czech Republic which claimed the lives of two people.

--IANS ksk/