Russia ‘to expel 30 US envoys’ in sanctions row

Moscow, Tuesday

Russia is ready to expel about 30 US diplomats and seize US state property in retaliation for Washington’s sanctions, Russian officials say. The threat came from Russian foreign ministry sources, quoted by the daily Izvestia.

Other Russian officials have made similar statements recently. In December the Obama administration expelled 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two intelligence compounds. The measures were a response to alleged Russian meddling in the US election.

Russia was already under US sanctions. Ex-President Barack Obama acted against Russia after US intelligence sources had accused Russian state agents of hacking into Democratic Party computers to undermine Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue of the Obama sanctions with US President Donald Trump when they met in Hamburg on July 7 , Izvestia reported.

Russia says President Trump presented “no plan to resolve the crisis” when the issue was raised in Hamburg. An unnamed Russian diplomat told Izvestia that in retaliation Russia could seize a US government dacha at Serebryany Bor, to the northwest of Moscow, and a US warehouse in the city itself. -BBC

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