KREMLIN DENIES ROLE IN CZECH AMMUNITION DEPOT BLASTS

Moscow on Monday rejected accusations by the Czech Republic about the alleged involvement of Russian intelligence agents in a 2014 explosion at an ammunition depot.

"We strongly disagree with these conclusions, which we consider to be inflammatory and unfriendly," government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to news agency Interfax.

The Czech Republic on Saturday expelled 18 Russian diplomats, accusing them of being involved in blasts at the ammunition depot in Vrbetice, 110 kilometers east of Prague, in October and December 2014, in which two people died.

The Russians had been identified as members of their country's SWR and GRU intelligence services, Czech Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said.

According to the prosecutor's office, the suspects are the same two Russians who are wanted for a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, in 2018.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said the two spies involved had botched the operation, which hadn't been an "act of state terrorism" but rather for the goods of a Bulgarian arms dealer.

In retaliation, Russia has expelled 20 embassy staff members in Moscow.

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