Russia on Wednesday said it was removing US diplomats in retaliation for Washington’s move to remove 12 of Moscow’s representatives to the United Nations based in New York.
As per the statement released by the ministry, “On March 23, a note with the list of the American diplomats declared ‘persona non grata’ was handed to the head of the American diplomatic mission who was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
As per reports, the decision was taken in response against the removal by Washington of Russian diplomats at the UN in New York.
As per the statement, “The US side has been given firm notice that any hostile action by the United States against Russia will be met with a resolute and appropriate response.”
In early March, the United States removed 12 members of the Russian diplomatic mission to the UN amid an open crisis with Russia over Ukraine on charges of “espionage”.
As per the statement released by the spokeswoman for the US mission to the United Nation, Olivia Dalton, “The US has declared the Russian Mission that we are beginning the process of removing 12 intelligence operatives from the Russian Mission who have abused their privileges of residency in the US by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security.”
The Russian ambassador to the United States, Anatoli Antonov, denounced it as a “hostile move” by the United States, stressing that the actions were a cause of “deep disappointment and absolute rejection” in Moscow.