Moldovan President Maia Sandu said on Jurnal TV that Russia is allegedly trying to destabilize the situation in the republic "in order to prevent its transformation" Russia declared persona non grata the first secretary of the Embassy of Moldova Valeriu Manya. The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Moldovan Ambassador Lilian Darius was handed a note stating that, as a retaliatory measure, the Russian side declares an employee of the Moldovan embassy persona nongrata.
On April 21, the leader of Moldovan's ruling Action and Solidarity party, Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, allowed a further reduction in the number of Russian diplomats.