The United States eradicated two Russian diplomats in Washington, only weeks after Moscow dismissed two Americans, the latest tit-for-tat expulsions as ties between the two countries deteriorate.
The decision came after Russia expelled two US ambassadors over interactions with a former consular employee accused of gathering sensitive information. The United States has denied the charges.
Matthew Miller, A State Department spokesperson warned, “The Department will not tolerate the Russian government’s pattern of harassment of our diplomats,” adding that “unacceptable actions against our Embassy personnel in Moscow will have consequences.”
The two Russian ambassadors, whose identities remain undisclosed, have been granted a seven-day period to vacate the United States. This timeframe mirrors the one allotted to American diplomats Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein, who were instructed to depart from Russia just last month.
Expulsion of the two US diplomats from Moscow-
On September 14th, Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused Jeffrey Sillin, the first secretary of the U.S. Embassy in Russia, and David Bernstein, the second secretary, of engaging in “illegal activities” and instructed them to depart from the country within seven days.
According to the ministry, both diplomats kept in touch with a former consulate employee called Robert Shonov, who was suspected of gathering information for US ambassadors on Russia’s military activities in Ukraine and other relevant issues.
Shonov’s arrest was announced in August by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), who stated that he had gathered information about the special military operation, mobilisation efforts in various Russian regions, issues related to these activities, and their potential influence on public protests resulting in the 2024 presidential election.
In response to these allegations, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy, Matthew Miller, denounced the charges as “completely baseless” and clarified that Shonov had been employed by a company contracted to provide services to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, all in accordance with Russian laws and regulations. This arrangement came about after the Russian government prohibited the U.S. from employing Russian staff in 2021.
Current relations between the US and Russia-
Tensions between the United States and Russia have significantly worsened following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in the previous year. The United States has expressed its reluctance to engage in high-level discussions with Russia, except for specific matters, such as coordinating prisoner exchanges.
Prior to the conflict, the United States’ diplomatic operations in Russia had already been significantly reduced due to President Vladimir Putin’s order, which prohibited the recruitment of local personnel. As a result of this directive, Russians applying for U.S. visas often had to visit embassies located in foreign nations.
