Czechia expels two Russian diplomats. Everything you need to know about the ricin scandal

Not an assassination attempt, but a conflict inside the embassy.

Czech authorities today wrapped up the scandalous story of the alleged poisoning of several local politicians, which sparked a major international scandal. As a result, Czechia declared two employees of the Russian embassy persona non grata. They must leave the country in the near future.

How did it all begin?

On April 26, the Czech publication Respekt published a report that an agent carrying the extremely deadly poison ricin had arrived in Prague with a Russian diplomatic passport. The poison was allegedly intended to poison several politicians whose statements and actions Russia did not like.

The targets were Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib and the heads of two Prague districts, Prague 6 and Prague-Řepory district, Ondřej Kolář and Pavel Novotný. Hřib was reportedly unhappy about the naming of the square in front of the Russian embassy after Boris Nemtsov, Kolář was accused of removing a monument to Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev, and Novotný was criticized for supporting a memorial to the anti-Soviet Russian Liberation Army.

In Russia, all of this was called "sick fantasies" and "disinformation," but in Czechia all city officials were placed under round-the-clock protection, intelligence services took up the case, and the incident was discussed in parliament as well.

What actually happened?

Czech authorities ultimately concluded that no assassination was actually planned, and that the entire uproar was the result of internal intrigue within the Russian embassy.

"It all happened because of an internal struggle between employees of the Russian embassy in Prague," Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said today. "One of them deliberately sent fabricated information about a planned attack on Czech politicians to the Security Service."

What about the agents?

On May 10, the Seznam Zprávy publication released an interview with 34-year-old Moscow native Andrei Viktorovich K., who allegedly brought the poison into Czechia. He introduced himself as head of the diplomatic mission of one of the Russian federal agencies in Prague. He claimed he had arrived in the country with his wife and that the suitcase contained "disinfectant and candy."

Czech television later identified the person in question as Andrei Konchakov, head of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Prague.

Konchakov is reportedly one of the two diplomats being expelled from the country. The second is his deputy, Igor Rybakov.

What about Russia?

In Russia, the decision to expel the two diplomats was called an "unfriendly step," and Moscow promised to give a worthy response to the actions of the official Prague government.

"Prague's actions will receive not only an adequate response but will also be taken into account in forming Russia's line toward Czechia," says a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Such provocations will have to be answered for."