By Joanna Plucinska and Andrius Sytas

WARSAW/VILNIUS (Reuters) – Russian diplomat Sergiy Andreev was feeling unwelcome on the streets of Warsaw even earlier than protesters doused him with crimson liquid thrown in his face at brief vary this week.

Quickly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Andreev, who’s Moscow’s ambassador in Poland, discovered the embassy financial institution accounts had been frozen. Makes an attempt to satisfy with Polish officers for any degree of diplomatic dialogue have been inconceivable, he mentioned.

His common barber refused to chop his hair. Insurance coverage corporations denied protection for embassy vehicles, Andreev mentioned.

“We’re virtually remoted,” he informed Reuters, earlier than the paint incident on Monday.

Throughout Europe’s capitals, Russian diplomats are getting the chilly shoulder, starting from diplomatic expulsions by governments, to protests by particular person residents, and repair denials by corporations.

European Union governments have expelled at the least 400 Russian diplomats and help workers. Warsaw has seized a constructing linked to the Russian embassy, and Oslo renamed a avenue in entrance of the Russian mission “Ukraine Sq..”

Russia’s 10-week bombardment of Ukraine has killed hundreds, pushed over 1 / 4 of the inhabitants from their properties and flattened cities. Europeans broadly see it as unprovoked aggression by President Vladimir Putin, who says what he calls a particular navy operation was launched to defend Russia.

Western nations have responded by arming Ukraine’s navy and imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia’s elites and monetary system.

The diplomats’ tribulations should not akin to the destruction of the battle or the broader Western response, however they’re a conspicuous instance of the depth of feeling in opposition to the invasion, and have hit dwelling in Moscow.

Public protests have prompted Russia’s international ministry to warn diplomats to suppose twice after they enterprise out, after embassies have been defaced by crimson paint in Rome, Sofia and Prague. In London, protesters piled cookware and home equipment in entrance of Russia’s mission in April, in reference to experiences of Russian looting in Ukraine.

“There are assaults, virtually terrorist acts in opposition to our establishments and in opposition to the bodily safety of diplomats,” Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov informed Rossiya 24 tv.

“Now we don’t suggest they exit” alone, mentioned Lavrov, calling the anti-Russian ambiance stoked by the West discriminatory.

In Poland, Andreev was at Warsaw’s Soviet Navy Cemetery on Monday to put flowers to mark the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany when he was surrounded by protesters – some holding Ukrainian flags and chanting “fascists” on the Russian delegation – earlier than a girl hurled a lumpy crimson liquid into his face.

The Russian international ministry mentioned it had lodged a powerful protest with Polish authorities, which it accused of “virtually conniving” with the protesters. Chatting with Reuters in April, Andreev mentioned Poland had breached the Vienna Conference that specifies guidelines for internet hosting diplomats. The embassy didn’t present extra remark after Monday’s paint protest.

The Polish international ministry described the incident as regrettable, saying in an announcement that “diplomats take pleasure in particular safety, whatever the insurance policies pursued by the governments that they characterize.”

Swiss police informed Reuters final month there have been “expressions of displeasure, threats and injury to property in the direction of the Russian embassy”, and police made unspecified safety changes. In Bucharest, a driver died ramming his automotive into the gate of the Russian embassy on April 6.

As in Warsaw, the Russian embassy in Paris has been working low on money, with Moscow instructing diplomats there to chop spending to a minimal, in accordance with a diplomatic supply from a rustic that has not imposed sanctions on Russia and continues to have interaction with the embassy. The embassy declined to remark.

In Lithuania, two predominant banks have or will minimize cash transfers to and from Russia and Belarus, and, like in Poland, insurance coverage corporations have refused to insure embassy vehicles.

“They don’t seem to be insuring damages for the Russian embassy,” mentioned Andrius Romanovskis, chair of Lithuanian Insurers Affiliation. “My understanding is these selections should not of business nature, however need to do with reputational and ethical selections.”

The Russian embassy in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius confirmed its troubles.

“The embassy has just lately been going through a variety of issues within the banking and insurance coverage sector, in addition to with the fulfilment by sure corporations of their obligations beneath current contracts,” mentioned press secretary Alexander Kudryavtsev.

Czech capital Prague modified the embassy’s avenue title to “Ukrainian Heroes’ Road” whereas the district the place the Russian embassy relies has requested {that a} Russian college constructing, unused because the Czechs expelled dozens of Russian diplomats, be made obtainable for Ukrainian refugee youngsters.

The measures have led to some retaliation from an more and more remoted Russia, which has kicked out an unspecified variety of European diplomats.

The Polish International Ministry mentioned streets have been dug up round its embassy in Moscow, and the work of the embassy and its consulates was “restricted in each method by the Russian aspect.”

Russia’s international ministry didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.