Russian reprisals: 'We are starting with Americans', Americans shocked 'There is no justification for expelling US diplomats from Russia'

Russia will expel 60 US diplomats and shut down the US Consulate in St. Petersburg in response to US measures in the Skripal case, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow on Thursday

"At this moment, the US ambassador to the Russian Federation is in our ministry where my deputy Sergei Ryabkov exposes the contents of the countermeasures," Lavrov said, and the Russian media reported. "They include the expulsion of the same number of diplomats and our decision to close the Consulate General in St. Petersburg." According to the agency Interfax, this is about 58 US diplomats in Moscow and two in the consulate in St. Petersburg.

RIA states that they have to leave Russia by April 5th. Lavrov said Moscow will also respond to the expulsion of Russian diplomats from a number of other countries. "As for other countries, everything will be reciprocal when it comes to the number of people in diplomatic missions that will leave the Russian Federation," he said. More than a hundred Russian diplomats were expelled from countries that solidarized with Great Britain after London accused Russia of attacking chemical weapons against former Russian Sergei Skripala spy in England.

USA: There is no justification for the expulsion of US diplomats from Russia

There is no justification for Russia's decision to close the US consulate in St. Petersburg and expel 60 US diplomats, said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert on Thursday saying that the United States retains the right to respond to Russian measures. "Russia isolates itself after a shameless chemical attack," Nauert told reporters.

"There is no excuse for such a response from Russia."

According to her, this decision shows that Moscow is not interested in diplomacy. "It is clear from the list that we received that the Russian Federation is not interested in dialogue on issues that are important for our two countries. We reserve the right to respond, "she said. Nauert also said that Russia "should not act as a victim". They are the victims, she continued, former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, who were attacked by Russian nervous venom.

She added that the use of a nerve poison is a violation of chemical weapons conventions.

• 30 Mar, 2018
• 1381 views