The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that Russia has decided to expel American diplomats in retaliation for Washington’s expulsion of 12 members of the Russian diplomatic mission to the United Nations.
“On March 23, a list of US diplomats declared ‘Personality Non Great’ was sent to the head of the US diplomatic mission, who was called to the Russian Foreign Ministry,” the statement said.
The decision is a reaction to Washington’s expulsion of diplomats from the Russian diplomatic mission at the United Nations in New York, according to the same source.
“The US side has been strongly informed” That any hostile action by the United States against Russia would require a firm and adequate response,” the statement said.
In early March, amid a crisis with Russia prompted by the situation in Ukraine, the United States expelled 12 members of the Russian diplomatic mission accredited to the United Nations, accused of “espionage”.
“The United States has informed the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of Russia to the United Nations that we have begun the process of expelling 12 intelligence officers from the Russian mission. Abused his diplomatic position in the United States by “promoting espionage activities contrary to our national security”Olivia Dalton, spokeswoman for the US mission to the United Nations at the time, announced in a statement.
The Russian ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, then denounced the “hostile decision” by the Americans, and underlined that these acts caused “deep disappointment and complete disapproval” in Moscow.
