MOSCOW: Russian authorities on Thursday said it was expelling two diplomats of the US for “liaising” with Robert Shonov, an ex-US consulate worker accused by Russia of spying. Shonov was charged with passing information regarding the conflict in Ukraine to US diplomats, a claim Washington has rejected.
US-Russia ties
Russia’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs said the two US diplomats — David Bernstein and Jeff Sillin—carried out “illegal activities by liaising with Robert Shonov”.
“The US envoy was told that Bernstein and Sillin must leave Russia within seven days under the status of persona non grata,” the Ministry said. The US embassy in Russia confirmed the development.
In a statement, the US embassy in Moscow said, “We reject the basis for this senseless expulsion of our diplomatic staff, criticizing what the mission called attempts to “scare and annoy US embassy staff.”
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Ties between Moscow and Washington have been deteriorating for several years, and both countries have expelled diplomats. The US strongly denounced Shonov’s arrest in May, adding Russia was using “increasingly oppressive laws against its own people”.
The US condemned Russia’s expulsion of two US diplomats for their work with an embassy contractor and pledged to take countermeasures soon.
In a statement, the US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller that the expulsion of their diplomatic staff is completely without merit. Matthew Miller expressed regret that Moscow has taken this path. The spokesperson further said that the US will respond suitably to the actions of Russia.
