Czech, Russian envoys fly home amid depot explosion dispute

two Russian military agents believed to be behind a massive Czech depot explosion in 2014 likely targeted ammunition, not Czech Republic itself, country's prime minister and prosecutor general said Monday.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis said he didn’t consider Russian action “an act of state terrorism” but said “ presence of GRU agents is absolutely unacceptable.”

“We’re a sovereign state and it’s unacceptable for foreign agents to conduct such operations here,” Babis said.

On Sunday, Russia ordered 20 Czech diplomats to leave country within a day in response to Czech government’s expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats it identified as spies from GRU and SVR, Russia’s military and foreign intelligence services. Both sides sent government planes Monday to take envoys and ir families home.

Pavel Zeman, Czech prosecutor general, said ammunition targeted was mostly meant to be sent to an arms dealer in Bulgaria and be intentionally exploded after delivery. 2014 depot blast in town of Vrbetice killed two people.

“ explosion was not supposed to occur on Czech Republic’s territory,” Zeman said.

Zeman said two Russian suspects were using false identities on passports from Tajikistan and Moldova when y booked a visit to depot. y stayed in Prague and eastern city of Ostrava, about two-hour drive from depot, which is located in eastern Czech Republic.

suspects also used Russian passports to travel to Czech Republic.

ir names and photos matched two Russians whom British authorities charged in absentia in 2018 with trying to kill former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with Soviet nerve agent Novichok in English city of Salisbury.

“ two were identified as attackers in Salisbury in 2018,” Zeman said.

Zeman said because investigation has not been completed, authorities cannot reveal more details about case and rejected Babis’ request to publish m. Babis said his government is consider demanding compensation for damages from Russians.

Czech Republic’s Interior Minister Jan Hamacek, who is also acting foreign minister, said Monday that Russian expulsion of Czech diplomats effectively paralyzed Czech Embassy in Moscow.

“We h to expect that to happen but Czech Republic has not done anything wrong,” Hamacek said. “It’s us who are victims of Russian actions.”

Babis said Czechs will “certainly” respond to what is seen as a disproportionate Russian move.

Czech government also decided not to allow Russian state-controlled Rosatom nuclear corporation from participating in a tender for planned construction of a nuclear reactor at its Dukovany nuclear plant.

Czech intelligence services have repeatedly warned against allowing Russian and Chinese companies to bid in multibillion-dollar tender, saying y pose security risk due to links to ir respective governments.