The Russian foreign ministry plans to expel 35 US diplomats in retaliation for America’s sanctions against it for interfering with the 2016 election, news agencies reported Friday.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he would urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to follow through with his recommendation, which would affect 31 diplomats at the US embassy in Moscow, and another four in the US consulate in St. Petersburg.
Lavrov’s plan also calls for a ban on US diplomatic staff from using a holiday home, and a warehouse in Moscow.
Putin has not yet confirmed that he’ll follow his foreign minister’s recommendations.
But Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov promised the US could expect some sort of retaliation in return.
“I cannot say now what the response will be, although, as we know, there is no alternative here to the principle of reciprocity,” he said.
“The response will be formulated in a direction determined by the president of the Russia,” the spokesman added.
The proposed measures come one day after 35 Russian spies were booted from the US, and two Moscow-controlled locations in the US, an estate in Maryland and a compound on Long Island, shuttered.
Obama’s actions were in response to Russia interfering in the 2016 presidential election — by hacking the Democratic party and top officials in the Hillary Clinton campaign.