Agents from the U.S. State Department were standing guard outside a Russian compound in Oyster Bay, Long Island, on Friday morning.
The Upper Brookville property, called the Elmcroft estate, is one of two weekend retreats the Soviet Union purchased on Long Island for United Nations diplomats. Another storied property, called Killenworth, is located in Glen Cove.
On Thursday, President Obama announced that a 14-acre Long Island compound would be closed by noon as part of US retaliation against Russia for its interference in the 2016 election. While officials haven’t confirmed that the Oyster Bay property is the one being shuttered, the mayor of Glen Cove said Killenworth isn’t being closed.
About a dozen State Department agents stood outside a gate in front of the Elmcroft property on Friday and checked driver’s licenses. Several vans with diplomatic license plates pulled up throughout the morning.
One neighbor said she saw cars coming in and out of the estate on Thursday evening — and added that it was well known Russians were living on the property.
“You can’t park on the road so I assumed, oh the Russians are having a holiday party,” the resident said.
Another Russian compound in Maryland was also being closed on Friday.
With Post Wires