Russia to expel 60 American diplomats, close consulate in St. Petersburg: Foreign minister Lavrov
Russian embassy
Russian ambassador Sergey Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures".
After the US and EU expelled over 100 diplomats, Russia said today it will expel 60 American diplomats and close the consulate in Saint Petersburg as tensions between Russia and the West continued over the poisoning of an ex-spy in the UK.
The Russian move confirmed a tit-for-tat response after the Trump administration announced last week it has expelled 60 Russian diplomats and decided to shutdown the consulate in Seattle.
Russian ambassador Sergey Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures".
"They include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg," Lavrov said.
"The measures would be reciprocal ... They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States' general consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," Lavrov added.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had earlier said the charges against Russia that it was behind poisoning of an ex-spy in Salisbury, UK was "politically motivated".
"We have answered all the questions raised by UK," the Russian foreign minister had said at a press conference in Moscow.