US Expels Two Russian Diplomats

The United States on Friday expelled two Russian diplomats. It was a retaliatory move after Moscow kicked out two Americans a month back.

“In response to the Russian Federation’s specious expulsion of two US embassy Moscow diplomats, the State Department reciprocated by declaring persona non grata two Russian embassy officials operating in the United States,” a State Department spokesperson said.

Russia said last month that it was expelling two US diplomats for liaising with Robert Shonov, a Russian citizen who had formerly worked at the US consulate in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok.

Russia arrested Shonov in August on charges of passing along what it called confidential information on Ukraine.

Relations between the United States and Russia have deteriorated sharply since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine last year.