The US said those ordered to leave had abused “their privileges” of staying in the United States.
Moscow:
The Russian ambassador to Washington on Monday described the expulsion of 12 UN personnel by the US as a “hostile move”.
“This is a hostile action against our country,” Anatoly Antonov said on Facebook, adding that Moscow was “deeply disappointed” and “completely rejected” US claims.
A spokeswoman for the US mission to the UN said those ordered to leave had “abused their residency rights in the United States by engaging in espionage activities that are detrimental to our national security.”
But Antonov said Washington had failed again “to fulfill its obligations to ensure normal conditions for the functioning of foreign missions to the UN.
“Russian diplomats have been targeted again,” he said.
“Washington’s actions are not aimed at calming the situation on the international front, nor at maintaining bilateral relations between two major powers at a level necessary for peace and international security,” he added.
According to the Russian ambassador to the UN, the 12 have been ordered to leave by March 7.
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