Tensions Escalate in Russia-US Relations as Another 55 Russian Diplomats Set to be Expelled from the US

The United States plans to expel an additional 55 Russian diplomats and administrative technical staff from its embassies and consulates. This was announced by Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She clarified that there are currently about 130 people working at the American diplomatic missions in Russia, while there are less than 200 in the diplomatic mission in Washington and the main consulates in New York and Houston.

“Considering the demands put forth by Washington for our additional 55 diplomats and administrative technical staff to leave the US in the coming months, the situation on the diplomatic front is only set to worsen,” Zakharova was quoted on the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Earlier on Friday, Zakharova urged the US to halt its escalation and to begin a substantive, honest dialogue based on mutual respect.

On October 27, the State Department expressed concern that the work of the US embassy in Russia, amid staff reductions, could be reduced to merely fulfilling technical functions. It was noted that the staff of the American embassy in Moscow has been reduced from 1,200 employees in 2017 to 120 in October 2021.