Bulgarian Ambassador to Moscow Atanas Krastin received a notice to leave Russia within 24 hours.

The information was released by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry today and called it Moscow's "tit for tat" because it refused to grant visas to Russian defense attaches in Sofia on October 30.

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry also deported a Russian diplomat on October 29, demanding that the person leave Sofia in 24 hours over allegations of espionage. This is considered a response of Sofia when this call to summon their staff was not answered by Moscow.

Bulgaria, Russia's former Cold War ally, is now a member of NATO and the European Union but maintains a close historical and cultural relationship with Russia. Bulgaria refused to join NATO and the EU in deporting Russian diplomats last year after the poisoning of former spy agent Sergei Skripal.