MOSCOW - The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it will soon expel an Austrian diplomat in response to Austria's recent decision to declare a Russian diplomat persona non grata.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Russia has consistently responded to and countered such actions and that Russia has notified Austria of its intention to expel an Austrian diplomat on a "reciprocal" basis.

Austria had declared a Russian diplomat persona non grata, and the individual has since left Austria, Russian media reported, citing a spokesperson for the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.