MOSCOW, October 18 (RAPSI) - An apartment of Russian diplomats in the Hague has been allegedly forced open, local media reported Friday.

According to the statement of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, police immediately initiated investigation of the incident in cooperation with the Embassy of Russia.

This incident became the third provoking episode in the diplomatic relationship between the Hague and Moscow for some time past.

On Wednesday, unknown assailants beat a Dutch diplomat working at the Netherlands Embassy in Moscow. A diplomat told the police that persons unknown have beaten him and left a heart and "LGBT" sign behind them.

Last week, an assault was carried out against a Russian diplomat in the Netherlands. Armed men dressed in camouflage allegedly barged into the diplomat's apartment and, under the guise of a child abuse report, beat him up, handcuffed him and took him to a police station. After being kept there until morning, the diplomat was released without any explanation or formal apology.

Russia issued a note of protest concerning the mistreatment of the Russian embassy employee Dmitry Borodin.