Moscow says it will close US consulate in St Petersburg and expel same number of diplomats from nations that have expelled Russians
Russia is on a retaliation spree. Moscow has said it will expel 60
diplomats and close the US consulate in St Petersburg in retaliation for
the expulsion of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy in
Britain.
This announcement was made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
He said Russia would expel the same number of diplomats from the
nations that have expelled Russian diplomats over the poisoning of
Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Julia, 33, in Salisbury earlier
this month.
Lavrov said that Jon Huntsman, the US ambassador, had been informed of "retaliatory measures" on Thursday.
Lavrov added that the same will go for other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week.
After the poisoning of Skripal, who was a Russian double agent, and
his daughter in England, Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats from the
UK. Moscow retaliated by also expelling 23 British diplomats from
Russia. Then America, in support for their closest ally, expelled 60
diplomats and shut down the Russian consulate general in Seattle. Russia
has now replied in kind.
Two dozen countries, including the US, many EU nations and NATO, have
ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of
solidarity with Britain.
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