WASHINGTON: The United States has expelled two Russian embassy officials following Russia earlier expelled two American diplomats from the U.S. embassy in Moscow, the U.S. State Department stated on Friday.
US-Russia Ties
“In reply to the Russia’s specious expulsion of two American diplomats, the State Department reciprocated by declaring persona non grata two officials of Russian embassy operating in the US,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement.
“The US State Department will not tolerate Moscow’s pattern of harassment of our diplomatic staff,” the spokesperson said, saying that “unacceptable acts against our Embassy officials in Moscow will have consequences.”
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Russian media cited an unnamed source in the foreign ministry of Russia as confirming the development, calling it baseless and adding the US had used Russia’s Sept. 14 expulsion of two American diplomats “caught red-handed engaging in spying acts” as a pretext.
“We will reply firmly and decisively, if such hostile actions continue despite, we are not interested in escalation”.
Moscow said on September 14 that it was expelling two American diplomats whom it accused of working with a Russian citizen charged with cooperating with a foreign state.
Ties between the US and Russia have plunged to their worst point in more than 60 years due to war in Ukraine. Washington is providing advanced arms to Kyiv and has hit Moscow with sanctions because of war in Ukraine.
