The Czech Republic has barred Russians holding diplomatic or service passports from entering its territory unless they are officially accredited in Prague.
Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský announced the decision after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Lipavský said the government acted in response to growing security concerns over covert operations involving individuals using diplomatic cover. “The number of sabotage operations is increasing – and we will not risk agents operating under diplomatic cover,” he wrote on X, stressing that national security must come before diplomatic convenience.
Under the new measure, only a handful of Russian diplomats who are formally accredited in the Czech Republic remain exempt from the ban.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that additional exemptions may be granted in individual cases, such as participation in negotiations with international organisations.
The decision represents another tightening of Prague’s stance toward Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Within weeks of the conflict, the Czech Republic suspended almost all new visas and residence permits for Russian nationals who did not hold diplomatic status.
In July 2024, it went further by refusing to recognise non-biometric Russian passports, effectively classifying their holders as staying illegally on Czech territory.
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Beyond its national measures, Prague has also pressed European Union partners to introduce coordinated restrictions on Russian diplomats.
The Czech government has argued that Russian operatives have abused the freedom of movement granted within the Schengen area, using it for intelligence-gathering and destabilisation activities.
It has called for new EU rules that would confine diplomats to the country of their accreditation, limiting their ability to move across Europe.
While the Czech Republic continues to push for collective EU action, Tuesday’s decision underscores its determination to act unilaterally where necessary.
Analysts note that the move could trigger reciprocal restrictions on Czech diplomats in Russia, but Prague insists the risks of inaction outweigh potential diplomatic fallout.
By enforcing the entry ban, the Czech Republic signals its commitment to shielding national and regional security from covert threats, even if it means further straining relations with Moscow.
NAN
