Russia expels 60 diplomats, closes US consulate in St. Petersburg

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Photo: Sputnik

"Right now, US Ambassador Huntsman was invited to our (Russian) Foreign Ministry, where Deputy Minister Sergei Ryabkov informed him about the content of the measures related to the United States, including the expulsion of an equal number of US diplomats and our decision to withdraw the agreement for the US Consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," the Foreign Minister said.

Moscow will respond proportionately to countries that expel Russian diplomats by expelling an equal number of diplomatic mission staff from Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"As for the remaining countries, the response will also be proportionate, regarding the number of diplomatic mission staff that will have to leave the Russian Federation," Lavrov said.

The State Department confirmed the expulsion of US diplomats, including 58 employees of the US embassy in Moscow and two employees of the US consulate in Yekaterinburg. They must leave Russia by April 5.

Previously, the US expelled dozens of Russian diplomats and closed the Russian Federation consulate in Seattle to show solidarity with the British government in the Skripal case.