54 Russian diplomats and their families forced to leave the US next year

“Russian diplomats in the US were “expelled”, Mr. Antonov was quoted by Itar-Tass news agency as saying. “On January 30, 2022, a large group of diplomats – 27 people and their families – had to leave the US. By June 30, 2022, a similar number had to return home.”

The diplomat stressed that the visa issue forRussian diplomatsin America remains unresolved and their families are being deliberately separated.

“We are facing a serious shortage of staff. The spouses of a number of our diplomats have had their documents revoked, their children have been denied visas. I do not understand what the policy of separating families of Russian diplomats is for.”

This comes as the US has been vocal about how carefully it values ​​family traditions, Ambassador Antonov said.

He also pointed out that the US has not changed its negative attitude towards Russia and continues to see Russia as an opponent. Washington has also not changed its sanctions policies against Moscow.

“Almost nothing has changed. The atmosphere in the United States, in particular in the media, in Congress and in the government, is still poisoned by Russophobia. This creates obstacles to building Russian-American relations,” Antonov pointed out, pointing out that US officials only try to negotiate issues that interest the country.

In response to Washington’s sanctions against Russia in April and the expulsion of a number of Russian diplomats, Moscow has restricted the number of Russian and third-country nationals employed by the US diplomatic mission. Since August 1, the US embassy in Russia has operated with 120 staff, the lowest level in five years.