The Czech Republic expelled 18 Russian embassy staff on Saturday and said it suspected Russian intelligence services were involved in an ammunitions depot explosion in 2014, Reuters reported.
The news agency added that the 2014 incident in the Czech Republic has resurfaced at an awkward time for Prague and Moscow. The Czech Republic is planning to put the construction of a new nuclear power plant at its Dukovany complex out to tender.
Security services have demanded that Russia's Rosatom be excluded as a security risk, while Czech President Milos Zeman and other senior officials have been putting Russia's case, Reuters reported.
In a text message, Industry Minister Karel Havlicek, who was previously in favour of including Russia, told Reuters: "The probability that Rosatom will participate in the expansion of Dukovany is very low."
Source: Reuters