Russian Foreign Ministry suggests that Putin expel 35 U.S. diplomats in retaliation against similar U.S. actions
MOSCOW. Dec 30 (Interfax) - The Russian Foreign Ministry suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin expel 35 U.S. diplomats from Russia in retaliation against similar U.S. actions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"Of course, we cannot leave such acts unanswered; reciprocity is a diplomatic law in international relations, so the Russian Foreign Ministry together with colleagues from other agencies has suggested that the Russian president declare 31 employees of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and four diplomats from the U.S. Consulate-General in St. Petersburg persona non-grata," Lavrov said in a statement seen by Interfax on Friday.
The U.S. has blacklisted the Federal Security Service and a number of other agencies and individuals, including 35 Russian diplomats who have been told to leave U.S. territory before the end of January 1, the minister said.
"Besides, we have been prohibited to use assets owned by the Russian state: a dacha used for recreation purposes by the staff of the Embassy in Washington DC and a recreational lodge of the staff of the Russian Mission to the United Nations," he said.
"The manners of our colleagues are quite apparent: children have been expected to spend winter vacations at both dachas, which traditionally accommodate camps. Yet those dachas have been declared spy nests, as I can understand from the reports posted by the U.S. Administration," Lavrov said.