The Russian government has expelled two US diplomats for allegedly keeping in touch with a Russian national who worked for the US Mission and is accused by Moscow of being a “informant,” CNN said. Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein, two diplomats, have been designated “persona non grata,” which means they must leave the country within one week.
United States has condemned Russia’s decision stating that Mosco was chosen “confrontation and escalation over constructive diplomatic engagement.”
US Ambassador Lynne Tracy was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and the US Embassy in Moscow on Thursday, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry and the US Embassy in Moscow. Lynne Tracy was notified that the two diplomats, Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein, have been designated “persona non grata,” and must leave the country within a week.
Russia’s decision to expel two diplomats was denounced by US State Department spokeswoman Matt Miller. Russia, according to Miller, has once again chosen “confrontation and escalation over constructive diplomatic engagement.” He also stated that the United States would “respond appropriately” to Russia’s conduct.
While addressing a press briefing on Thursday, Matt Miller said, “This unprovoked expulsion of our diplomatic personnel is wholly without merit, as is the case against a former Russian contractor of our embassy who was arrested for the supposedly nefarious task of performing such activities as providing our embassy with media clips.”
He further said, “Yet again, Russia has chosen confrontation and escalation over constructive diplomatic engagement. It continues to harass employees of our embassy, just as it continues to intimidate its own citizens. We regret that Russia has taken this path, and you can certainly expect that we will respond appropriately to their actions.”