Russia warns some US diplomats will have to leave by January 31

Those US Embassy personnel who would have spent more than three years in Russia would have to leave Russia by Jan 31, a Russian official said

Russia warned Wednesday that a number of US diplomats will have to leave Russia before the end of next month, the latest salvo in a diplomatic tug-of-war between Moscow and Washington.

 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said those US Embassy personnel who would have spent more than three years in Russia would have to leave Russia by Jan 31.

 

She said the Russian demand mirrors US actions that would make 55 Russian diplomats to leave.

 

“We see the American demand as an expulsion and will respond in kind,” Zakharova said. As part of trading diplomatic blows, Russia banned the US Embassy from hiring local residents.