US promises to respond to Russia’s expulsion of two diplomats from Moscow.

US Vows‌ Retaliation Against ‌Russia’s Expulsion of Diplomats

The Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s team has promised to retaliate against Russia’s expulsion of two United States diplomats, as the Kremlin’s hostility towards American influence in Russia continues to​ complicate‍ embassy operations in the country.

“Yet again, Russia has chosen‍ confrontation and escalation over constructive diplomatic engagement,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Thursday. “It continues to harass employees‌ of our embassy just‌ as it ⁣continues to ‌intimidate its⁣ own citizens.”

Expulsion of US Embassy Officials

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov targeted two U.S. embassy officials, Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein, for allegedly “liaising with a Russian citizen” who has been indicted for working for the U.S. consulate in Vladivostok. Their expulsion worsens the ongoing staffing feud, which has already led to the curtailment of operations at the‌ U.S. ⁣embassy ⁣in Moscow and raised the possibility⁤ of a complete ⁤embassy closure.

“The‌ aforementioned persons conducted illegal activities ‍by maintaining contact with Russian citizen Robert Shonov, who is accused of ‘confidential cooperation’ with a⁢ foreign state,” ‌the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday. “The illegal activity of the U.S. diplomatic mission, including interference in⁣ the internal affairs of the host country, is unacceptable and⁤ will be resolutely suppressed.”

It is common‌ for ⁢diplomatic missions to hire local staff, but Russian officials ordered the U.S. embassy to dismiss all local employees in April 2021. During a meeting on Thursday, U.S. Ambassador​ Lynne Tracy received a “harsh” message from Russian officials, who also informed⁣ her that Sillin and Bernstein must leave within seven days.‍ Blinken’s team has condemned Russia’s treatment of Shonov as another ‌example of Moscow’s crackdown on Russian civil society in recent years.

“Mr. Shonov’s only role ​at the time of his arrest was to compile media summaries of ​press items from publicly available Russian media sources,”⁢ Miller said in a May commentary on Shonov’s case. “His being targeted under the ‘confidential cooperation’ statute ⁣highlights the Russian Federation’s blatant use of increasingly ⁤repressive laws against its⁤ own citizens.”

Shonov had worked for the U.S. consulate in⁢ Vladivostok for over 25 years, according to Miller, who added that his ⁤most recent⁢ work was mediated “by a company ⁢contracted to‌ provide services to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow in strict⁢ compliance with ‌Russia’s ‌laws and regulations.” The Russian FSB, the successor agency‍ to‍ the Soviet-era⁢ KGB, claimed that Shonov was “gathering information about the special⁣ military operation,‌ mobilization processes in Russian regions, problems, and the assessment of their influence on protest activities of the population⁤ in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election.”

Shonov now faces eight years in prison. Miller criticized this⁣ allegation as a complaint about “the supposedly‌ nefarious task of performing such activities as providing our embassy with media ‍clips.” The⁢ case against Shonov, along with the expulsion of Sillin and Bernstein, ⁢further⁣ intensifies the crackdown on American‍ diplomatic operations,‌ leading‌ to the closure of the Vladivostok consulate due to critically ‌low staffing and the reduction of U.S. embassy operations in Moscow.

“We regret that Russia has taken this path,” Miller ​said Thursday. “You can ‍certainly expect that we will respond appropriately to their actions.”

Has US kicked out⁤ Russian diplomats?

Also in 2021, the State Department said the ‍United States expelled Russian diplomats to hold⁣ the Russian government to account ‍for the SolarWinds intrusion, reports of bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and attempts to interfere in the 2020 U.S. elections. The U.S. Charge d’Affaires Bart Gorman voiced his concerns about⁢ the impact of the embassy staff reductions⁣ on the ability to provide consular⁢ services and support for American citizens in Russia.

The expulsion of⁤ the two U.S. embassy officials ⁢is seen ⁢as a ‍further escalation of tensions between the two ‌countries. This comes after the Biden administration imposed new sanctions on Russia in April 2021‌ for its alleged interference​ in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and its ​involvement⁣ in the SolarWinds cyberattack. In response, Russia expelled 10⁤ U.S. diplomats and imposed counter-sanctions on ⁤American officials.

The ongoing hostility towards American influence in Russia has⁢ created a challenging environment for U.S. embassy operations.⁤ The expulsion of embassy officials and the curtailment‌ of staff have not only affected diplomatic relations‌ but also hindered the ability to provide essential services to American citizens.

The United ⁢States has consistently expressed its concern over ‍the treatment of its embassy staff and the‍ harassment of its citizens in Russia.‍ The State​ Department has ⁣called on⁢ Russia to uphold its international obligations and‌ respect ⁣the⁢ rights of diplomatic personnel. However, these calls have gone largely unanswered, with Russia continuing to take actions that further strain relations.

In response to the expulsion of the two U.S. diplomats, the Secretary of State’s ⁤team has vowed to retaliate. While the specific ‍nature of this retaliation has not ​been detailed, it is likely to involve‍ further‍ diplomatic measures, such as ⁤the expulsion of Russian diplomats or the imposition ‌of⁤ additional sanctions.

The⁣ ongoing feud between the United States and Russia has wider implications for international relations. It highlights the deepening divide between the two countries and raises concerns⁤ about the ‍future of‌ diplomatic engagement. As tensions continue to escalate, both sides ‌must consider ⁢the long-term consequences of their actions⁢ and seek a path towards constructive dialogue⁢ and cooperation.

In the meantime, the U.S. embassy in Moscow and the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C. are likely to face further restrictions and reductions in staff. ⁣This will inevitably impact the ability of ⁣both embassies to carry out their diplomatic missions effectively and further aggravate⁢ the strained relationship between the two countries.

The Biden administration​ has made it ⁣clear that it will hold Russia accountable for its actions and will not tolerate continued aggression. The expulsion of U.S. diplomats is just one episode in⁤ an ongoing saga of escalating tensions between the ⁢United States and‍ Russia. As the situation unfolds, it is ‍crucial for all parties involved to seek peaceful solutions and avoid actions that could further exacerbate the strained relationship.⁢ Only through diplomatic engagement and mutual respect ⁢can the two countries‍ hope to find common ground and move towards a more constructive ​future.

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