Moscow
The Russian government on Thursday (September 14) said it was expelling two US diplomats on accusations of collaborating with a spy. According to the Kremlin, the two diplomats had maintained contact with a Russian national who worked for the US Mission and had been accused of being an 'informant'.
The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement informed it had summoned US envoy Lynne Tracy, instructing her that embassy First Secretary Jeffrey Sillin and Second Secretary David Bernstein must leave the country within seven days.
Sillin and Bernstein were accused of having conducted "illegal activities by liaising with a Russian citizen, (Robert) Shonov".
"It was also emphasised (to Tracy) that illegal activities of the US diplomatic mission, including interference in the internal affairs of the host country, are unacceptable and will be resolutely suppressed," it said.
"The Russian side expects Washington to draw the right conclusions and refrain from confrontational steps."
Also read | Who is Vadim Krasikov? Assassin Russia wants in prisoner swap for US WSJ journalist
Notably, Shonov was on the payroll of the US Consulate General in the Far East city of Vladivostok for more than 25 years, until Moscow ordered the dismissal of the mission's local staff in 2021.
In a confession video, published by the country's FSB security service, Shonov could be seen admitting that Sillin and Bernstein had asked him to collect information about Russia's war effort in Ukraine, the annexation of "new territories", its military mobilisation and the 2024 presidential election.
Watch | Vladimir Putin lauds India's PM Modi | Putin-Kim Summit
US vows retaliation
After the announcement, Washington denounced the expulsion and vowed to take countermeasures soon.
“This unprovoked expulsion of our diplomatic personnel is wholly without merit, as is the case against a former Russian contractor of our embassy who was arrested for the supposedly nefarious task of performing such activities as providing our embassy with media clips,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
Miller added that Russia had once again chosen "confrontation and escalation over constructive diplomatic engagement", whilst adding that Washington will take action.
"We regret that Russia has taken this path and you can certainly expect that we will respond appropriately to their actions. It continues to harass employees of our embassy, just as it continues to intimidate its own citizens.”
(With inputs from agencies)
WATCH WION LIVE HERE: