Russia accuses US of removing national flag from Consulate General building

Russian Consulate General building in Seattle. Photo: Sputnik.

"The US government took advantage of the darkness to remove the Russian Federation flag from the Consulate General building in Seattle. Such illegal actions against the national symbol of Russia are unacceptable and once again demonstrate Washington's violation of international law,"TASSciting a statement released by the Russian Embassy in the United States yesterday.

The Russian Embassy asserted that the Consulate General building is an inviolable area and demanded that the US flag be returned to its original place. It also called on Washington to return "illegally seized Russian diplomatic property" in Washington DC, San Francisco, Seattle, New York and Maryland.

"In accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the United States does not approve of the continued operation of the Russian Consulate General in Seattle as of April 1, 2018. Since this building is no longer considered the residence of the Russian Consul General, it is inappropriate to display the Russian flag on its roof," the US State Department explained on May 1, adding that it would return the flag to the Russian embassy.

In late March, the US government announced the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, in response to Moscow's accusations that it poisoned former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the UK.