The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the United States had demanded that another 55 Russian diplomats and administrative and technical staff leave the country in the coming months.
This was stated by the official spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.
According to Zakharova, about 130 people currently work in Russia, and less than 200 in the Russian mission in Washington and in two consulates general in New York and Houston.
“Taking into consideration the demands made by Washington that another 55 of our diplomats and administrative and technical staff must leave the United States in the coming months (which, in essence, means expulsion), the situation on the diplomatic” front “will only get worse,” Zakharova said.
On April 15, the United States announced the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats and new sanctions against Russia for interfering in elections and malicious cyber activities.
US President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency due to an “emergency threat” and the external activities of the Russian government.
In response, Russia has imposed restrictions on the employment of US and third-country nationals by the US diplomatic mission.
In late October, the US State Department classified Russians as citizens who could not obtain a US visa in their country. Russians can apply for a visa at the embassy in Warsaw.