The staff of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow living in Russia for over three years must leave the country by January 31, 2022.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Wednesday following the U.S. move to order Russian diplomats out of the country.
Russian Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said on Sunday that 27 Russian diplomats would leave the country on Jan. 30.
The Department of State said that the order for diplomats to leave is not an expulsion.
It said that Moscow can assign other diplomatic members instead of those departing ones.
“We regard the American demand precisely as expulsion and intend to react accordingly.
“By Jan. 31, 2022, U.S. embassy officials who have been in Moscow for over three years must leave Russia if the U.S. does not compromise on Russian diplomats, another group of their diplomats will leave Russia by July 1,’’ Zakharova said during a press conference.
Sputnik/NAN
