Russia is to expel 60 US diplomats and has ordered the closure of the US consulate in St. Petersburg, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday, in retaliation for a similar move by Washington.

Lavrov, making the announcement in Moscow, said the US ambassador Jon Huntsman had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry to be told of the decision.

The US expelled 60 diplomats on Monday as part of a coordinated global response to the poisoning of a former Russian double agent, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, in Britain. The British government blames Russia for using a military-grade nerve agent for the poisoning, in the English city of Salisbury on March 4.

More than 20 countries said they would expel more than 100 Russian diplomats over the case.

Russia has firmly denied responsibility and President Vladimir Putin has dismissed it as "delirium." Russia had already been engaged in a tit-for-tat with Britain, with both countries expelling 23 diplomats. </s> MOSCOW: Moscow on Friday (Mar 30) issued tit-for-tat measures against countries that have expelled Russian diplomats in a mass show of support for Britain over the poisoning of a former double agent in England.

Russia announced the expulsion of diplomats from 23 countries, almost all of them European Union members, and told Britain to make unspecified "reductions" to its diplomatic staff.

Most of the ambassadors driven up to the front door of the Russian foreign ministry in flagged official cars on Friday came from EU countries.

Eighteen of the 28 EU countries have now expelled Russian diplomats and Moscow issued tit-for-tat measures against a majority of them.

The Netherlands was the first to announce that Russia was expelling two diplomats.

According to their officials and state broadcasters, Germany and Poland would be sending home four diplomats each, the Czech Republic and Lithuania three each, and Italy, Spain, Albania and Denmark would all have two expelled.

Latvia, Estonia, Croatia, Sweden, Romania, Ireland, Norway and Finland must each withdraw one diplomat. France was told it would have to send home four diplomats.

Ukraine was told 13 diplomats will have to leave, while Moldova had three expulsions confirmed.

Expulsions are expected for Canada, Australia and Macedonia after they were summoned to Russia's foreign ministry, but have not yet been confirmed.

Russia on Thursday separately announced it would expel 60 US diplomats and close the US consulate in Saint Petersburg.

Washington had earlier ordered 60 Russia diplomats to leave the country and shut down the Russian consulate general in Seattle.

Moscow has already expelled British diplomats but issued an additional punishment on Friday, saying London must cut its diplomatic presence within a month to the same as Russia has in the UK - without giving a number.

London has said that Moscow is "highly likely" behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a Soviet-developed nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury on Mar 4.

Britain has expelled 23 Russian diplomats, suspended high-level diplomatic contacts and vowed not send royal family members to the football World Cup hosted by Russia this summer.

Russia had already retaliated by expelling 23 British diplomats, closing a UK consulate in Saint Petersburg and shutting down the British Council educational and cultural organisation.

Slovakia, Malta, Bulgaria, Portugal and Luxembourg recalled their ambassadors to Russia for consultations this week, in a temporary measure to show disapproval.

Russia said it reserves the right to respond to countries that have recently announced expulsions of Russian diplomats: Belgium, Hungary, Georgia and Montenegro. </s> March 30 (UPI) -- Ambassadors from 23 nations were summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday and told their diplomatic personnel would be expelled.

The number of personnel ordered to leave Russia, in most cases by April 5, is equivalent to the number of Moscow diplomats told to leave embassies in host nations this week.

The reciprocal expulsions involve 27 nations and Russia, and are in response to the March 4 poisoning of former Russian intelligence office Sergei Skripal and his adult daughter in Salisbury, Britain.

British and U.S. leaders have accused Moscow of responsibility for the use of what's believed to be a Russian-manufactured nerve gas against the two.

Friday's moves came after Russia expelled 60 U.S. diplomatic staff on Thursday.

"[We] summoned the heads of diplomatic missions from Australia, Albania, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Finland, France, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Estonia," a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "They were handed notes of protest and told that the Russian Federation declares persona non grata the relevant number of diplomats from these countries ... in response to their unjustified expulsions of Russian diplomats based on Britain's proof-free accusations of Russia related to the Skripal case."

The ministry said diplomats of Belgium, Hungary, Montenegro and Georgia -- nations that "decided to join" the expulsion "at the last minute" -- could similarly be affected.

Dutch Ambassador Renee Jones-Bos said she was told two diplomats would be expelled. Italy will lose two, Finland will lose one and the Czech Republic will lose three.

"This comes as no surprise," said German ambassador Heiko Maas, adding that Berlin "did not make a hasty decision to expel Russian diplomats."

Germany will lose four diplomats in Moscow.

"The Russian government has not answered any of the unresolved questions and has shown no willingness to play a constructive role in clarifying the circumstances of the attack," Maas said earlier. "We continue to call upon Russia to live up to its responsibility and to fulfill its obligation to investigate the attack." </s> Lavrov said Russia would be applying the same response to other nations that also expelled Russian diplomats this week.

"Based on the principle of reciprocity, in response, 58 employees of the US Embassy in Moscow and two employees of the U.S. Consulate General in Yekaterinburg were declared 'persona non grata' for activities incompatible with diplomatic status," Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Ryabkov said in the statement.

Ryabkov said the diplomats must leave by April 5 and that the consulate in Saint Petersburg must be closed by March 31.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said at a press briefing that the U.S. would not rule out responding further to Russia's latest action, signaling the possibility of a further escalation.

"We reserve the right to respond," she said.

On Monday, the U.S., the U.K., NATO and 25 other countries announced the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal in British that was allegedly orchestrated by the Kremlin.

The U.S. said it would dismiss 60 Russian diplomats identified by officials as intelligence officers, as well as close Russia's Seattle consulate. Twelve of those to be expelled were from the Russian mission to the UN, while 48 were from other places throughout the U.S. The individuals have one week since the announcement to leave.

In total, over two days, the U.S., U.K., NATO and the 27 other countries, including Georgia, previously part of the Soviet Union, expelled a total of 153 Russian diplomats in a show of solidarity with Britain.

These steps, a senior Trump administration official told reporters on the condition of anonymity Monday, were intended to let the Russian government know that "when you attack our friends, you will face serious consequences."

Removing these Russians, the official said, is also a bid to reduce the "unacceptably numerous" Russian intelligence officers who reside in the United States and spy on Americans. </s> More than two dozen nations on three continents this week vowed to boot out Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England, including the U.S. which is expelling 60 envoys.The United Kingdom earlier this month sent home 23 Russian diplomats -- after saying Russia was behind the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England.Since Monday, the following 27 countries and NATO have said that they, too, are expelling Russian diplomats, bringing the total being sent home to Russia to at least 152.60 diplomats (and it said it would close Russia's consulate in Seattle)13 diplomats7 diplomats will have accreditation withdrawn, three others' pending accreditation requests have been denied4 diplomats (and denying three others' applications)4 diplomats4 diplomats4 diplomats3 diplomats3 diplomats3 diplomats2 diplomats2 diplomats2 diplomats2 diplomats: 2 diplomats2 diplomats1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat1 diplomat (and withdrawing the status of one honorary consul)The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk , suggested there could be more measures to come.Russia's foreign ministry on Monday issued a statement today protesting the U.S. and European expulsions of Russian diplomats, calling it a "provocative step" and warning that it will respond. Moscow did not say explicitly how it would act, but after the U.K. kicked out 23 Russian diplomats this month, Russia expelled the same number of British diplomats."Rest assured, we will respond," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday, without offering specifics. "No one would want to tolerate such obnoxiousness and we won't either."Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, were found slumped over, unconscious on a park bench in the southern English town of Salisbury. The U.K. has accused Russia of bearing responsibility for the March 4 attack, which British officials say involved a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed secretly by Russia -- an assessment shared by the United States.Russia has denied any involvement. </s> MOSCOW — The Russian government has threatened retaliation over one of the largest mass expulsions of its diplomats in history, after more than 20 countries backed action by the United Kingdom over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Salisbury.

According to Russian state media Tass, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the government “deeply regretted” the US’s decision to expel to their diplomats, and would analyze the situation before submitting a proposal for retaliatory action to Russian President Vladimir Putin to approve.

“We already stated and reconfirm that Russia has never had any relation to this (poisoning). We will be guided by the principle of reciprocity as before,” Peskov said.

The United States announced Monday it would be expelling 60 Russian diplomats and closing the consulate in Seattle, President Donald Trump’s toughest diplomatic move against Moscow since he took office in 2017.

When the Obama administration expelled 35 diplomats over Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the Russian government told the United States to cut its diplomatic staff inside Russia by 755.

Peskov told Tass the Foreign Ministry would submit possible retaliatory measures to President Vladimir Putin for consideration, saying any final decision would lie with the Russian leader.

In response to the latest expulsion of diplomats, Russia’s United Nations representative Vasily Nebenzia accused the United States of “abusing its rights and obligations” as the host of the UN General Assembly, according to Tass.

Nebenzia said the expulsion of diplomats by the United States would hamper Moscow’s efforts at the international body.

“Of course this is a blow to our mission, but I think we’ll mobilize,” Nebenzia told Tass.

Canada, Ukraine and member states of the European Union joined the United States in expelling more than 100 Russian diplomats on Monday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May called the worldwide backlash the “the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history.”

“We have no disagreement with the Russian people who have achieved so much through their country’s great history. But President Putin’s regime is carrying out acts of aggression against our shared values,” she said Monday.

The United Kingdom and Russia have been locked in a diplomatic fight since May’s government accused Moscow of organizing the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in the UK city of Salisbury.

Skripal and his daughter Yulia were both exposed to a potentially deadly nerve agent, according to British authorities, and remain in a critical condition in hospital.

“We assess that more than 130 people in Salisbury could have been potentially exposed to this nerve agent,” May said on Monday, adding the Skripals may never fully recover from the attack.

Russia has repeatedly and strongly denied it was involved in the Salisbury attack and has even suggested the United Kingdom itself could have been behind the poisoning.

As of Tuesday morning, 13 Russian diplomats were expelled from Ukraine, while Canada, Germany, France and Poland each expelled four.

More than a dozen other countries, including Australia, Italy and the Netherlands, have each expelled between one and three Russian diplomats or intelligence officers.

European Council President Donald Trusk wouldn’t rule out on Monday the possibility of further expulsions of diplomats in the days to come.

New Zealand said it would also expel Russian spies — if it had any.

“While other countries have announced they are expelling undeclared Russian intelligence agents, officials have advised there are no individuals here in New Zealand who fit this profile,” said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a statement Tuesday. “If there were, we would have already taken action.”

The European Council has joined the United Kingdom and the United States in saying the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter was almost certainly the work of the Russian government.

Senior Trump administration officials told CNN the decision to expel the diplomats wasn’t just taken in response to the attack, but also in protest to Russia’s “steady drumbeat of destabilizing actions.”

The mass expulsion comes less than a week after US President Trump called Putin to congratulate him on his re-election as President of Russia, against the recommendations of his advisers.

A handful of EU countries suggested they wouldn’t be following suit and expelling Russian diplomats, among them Austria and Portugal.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz tweeted that while he stood behind the European Council’s decision to recall the EU ambassador from Moscow, Austria wanted to be “bridge-builders between East and West and keep communication channels to Russia open.”

Similarly, Portugal expressed its “solidarity with the United Kingdom” over the Salisbury attack, though stopped short of expelling Russian diplomats in a statement.

Turkey also said it would not be taking action, with Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Bekir Bozdag telling reporters in Ankara on Monday: “There is a positive and good relation between Turkey and Russia.”

China, a key ally of Russia, has urged countries to “abandon a Cold War mentality.” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters Tuesday that “relevant countries” should “avoid taking any actions that would aggravate the conflict.” </s> Moscow has given two Australian diplomats a week to leave Russia in retaliation for Canberra booting out two of its spies.

In a joint statement on Saturday morning, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said there is no justification for the expulsions by Russia.

"This is a disappointing, although not unexpected, reaction by the Russian Government to the decision of the Australian Government to expel two Russian diplomats working as undeclared intelligence officers," the statement said.

"Australia's action was in concert with 28 other nations expelling a total of 153 Russian diplomats in an unprecedented demonstration of global solidarity with the United Kingdom."

On Wednesday Ms Bishop announced two Russian spies had been given six days to leave Australia, in a show of solidarity with the UK over the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury.

Labor leader Bill Shorten supported the government's decision, calling it an appropriate and proportionate response.

"The Russian Government must understand there are real consequences for engaging in attacks on foreign soil and refusing to tell the truth about them," he said in a joint statement with Labor senator Penny Wong on Saturday.

"We have to act in the way that we believe is in Australia's national interest, and on this occasion that was sending a strong signal that we reject Russia's action and we stand with our friends and allies."

Australia's ambassador to Russia Peter Tesch was among the diplomats summoned to the Russian foreign ministry on Friday to be told of the expulsions.

The diplomatic mission in Moscow has 10 staff.

In total, Russia will expel 59 diplomats from 23 countries following on the expulsion of 23 British and 60 American diplomats earlier in the week. </s> US was expelling 48 envoys in Washington and 12 more at the UN in New York

As part of a coordinated global response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Salisbury, a host of countries have expelled over 100 Russian diplomats. The show of solidarity comes after the UK announced earlier this month that it was expelling 23 Russian diplomats. The Kremlin has vowed to retaliate against the “provocative gesture”, denying it had any role in the attack.

The US State Department announced that it was expelling 48 envoys at the Russian embassy in Washington along with another 12 at the UN in New York. Ukraine is expelling 13 Russian diplomats while Canada, France, Germany and Poland are all dismissing four. </s> Russia has told Britain it must send home "just over 50" more of its diplomats in a worsening standoff with Western countries over the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the UK.

The Kremlin has already retaliated in kind against Britain and ejected 23 British diplomats over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. London says Moscow was behind the attack - an allegation Russia denies.

British Ambassador Laurie Bristow was summoned again on Friday to be told that London diplomats had one month to cut its diplomatic contingent in Russia to the same size as the Russian mission in Britain.

On Saturday, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the media that meant Britain would have to cut "a little over 50" of its diplomats in Russia.

"We asked for parity. The Brits have 50 diplomats more than the Russians," Zakharova said.

Russia on Friday expelled 59 diplomats from 23 countries in retaliation for the wave of ejections of Russian officials.

It came a day after Moscow ordered the expulsion of 60 US diplomats in response to a similar move by Washington earlier this week.

Russia on Thursday also revoked the permit for the US consulate in St Petersburg - meaning it must shut down - and issued a protest note to US Ambassador to Moscow Jon Huntsman regarding what it called "outrageous and unwarranted" diplomatic action against Russia.

Over the past few days, 25 European countries - along with the US, Canada, and Australia - expelled more than 120 Russian diplomats in a show of solidarity with the UK after the alleged attack.

NATO also announced seven officials working in the Russian mission to the alliance will have to leave.
The government of Russia expels 59 diplomats from 23 nations and may also take retaliatory action against four other countries.