France expels 6 Russian diplomats

France's foreign ministry on Monday declared six Russian diplomats as "persona non grata".

In the absence of Russia's ambassador in Paris, his number two had been summoned to inform him of the reasons for the expulsion, the foreign ministry said.

"Russia will respond accordingly," news agency TASS quoted foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

France earlier this month expelled 35 Russians with diplomatic status as part of a broader European move.