Two employees of U.S. embassy declared personae non-gratae - Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. Sept 14 (Interfax) - The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy on Thursday and informed her about Russia's decision to declare two employees of the U.S. embassy personae non-gratae, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

"The chief of the U.S. embassy in Moscow, Lynne Tracy, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on September 14, where she was issued a strong demarche and presented with an official note regarding the incompatibility of actions of First Secretary Jeff Sillin and Second Secretary David Bernstein of the U.S. embassy with their diplomatic status," the ministry said.

"Those persons were involved in illegal activity by maintaining contact with Russian citizen Shonov, charged with 'confidential cooperation' with a foreign state, who was given orders aimed at damaging national security of the Russian Federation in exchange for remuneration," the ministry said.

"The U.S. ambassador was informed that Jeff Sillin and David Bernstein must leave the Russian territory within seven days due to their status of personae non-gratae," the ministry said.