The Trump administration expelled 60 Russian diplomats on Monday and ordered Russia's consulate in Seattle to close, as the United States and European nations sought to jointly punish Moscow for its alleged role in poisoning an ex-spy in Britain.
Senior Trump administration officials said all 60 Russians were spies working in the U.S. under diplomatic cover, including a dozen at Russia's mission to the United Nations.
The officials said the administration was taking the action to send a message to Russia's leaders about the "Unacceptably high" number of Russian intelligence operatives in the U.S.The expelled Russians will have seven days to leave the U.S, said the officials.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the actions would make the U.S. safer by "Reducing Russia's ability to spy on Americans and to conduct covert operations" that threaten U.S. national security.
The U.S. actions came as more than a dozen nations, including those in Russia's neighborhood, were expected to announce similar steps to reduce Russia's diplomatic presence in their countries or other actions to punish Moscow.
Britain has already expelled 23 Russian diplomats, accusing them of being undeclared intelligence agents, which led Russia to expel the same number of British diplomats.
The steps on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean add to a serious escalation of tensions between Russia and the West that has been building since the March 4 poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer convicted of spying for the U.K., and his daughter, Yulia.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/poland-summons-russias-ambassador-over-spy-case-123355904.html?.tsrc=bell-brknews
Senior Trump administration officials said all 60 Russians were spies working in the U.S. under diplomatic cover, including a dozen at Russia's mission to the United Nations.
The officials said the administration was taking the action to send a message to Russia's leaders about the "Unacceptably high" number of Russian intelligence operatives in the U.S.The expelled Russians will have seven days to leave the U.S, said the officials.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the actions would make the U.S. safer by "Reducing Russia's ability to spy on Americans and to conduct covert operations" that threaten U.S. national security.
The U.S. actions came as more than a dozen nations, including those in Russia's neighborhood, were expected to announce similar steps to reduce Russia's diplomatic presence in their countries or other actions to punish Moscow.
Britain has already expelled 23 Russian diplomats, accusing them of being undeclared intelligence agents, which led Russia to expel the same number of British diplomats.
The steps on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean add to a serious escalation of tensions between Russia and the West that has been building since the March 4 poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer convicted of spying for the U.K., and his daughter, Yulia.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/poland-summons-russias-ambassador-over-spy-case-123355904.html?.tsrc=bell-brknews
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