You're reading: Moscow says US has to reduce personnel of diplomatic missions to 455 people

MOSCOW – The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced response measures against Washington in connection with the adoption by the U.S. Congress of a bill on Russia sanctions.

“In light of this, we suggest that the United States bring the number of its diplomatic and technical personnel working in the U.S. embassy in Moscow, in the general consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok into precise compliance with the number of Russian diplomats and technical personnel who are in the United States by September 1,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said on July 28.

“This means that the total number of personnel employed by U.S. diplomatic and consular establishments in the Russian Federation has been reduced to 455 people. In the event of new unilateral actions by the U.S. authorities to reduce the number of our diplomats in the U.S., there will be a mirrored response,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The statement also said that “Russia is suspending from August 1 the use by the U.S. embassy in Russia of all warehouses on Moscow’s Dorozhnaya Street and the dacha in Serebryany Bor.”

“We also reserve the right to take other measures according to the principle of reciprocity, which may affect the interests of the United States,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The bill passed by the U.S. Congress “again confirms the extreme aggressiveness of the United States in international affairs,” the ministry said.

“Using its ‘exclusivity’ as a cover, the U.S. haughtily ignores the positions and interests of other countries,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Russia “is doing everything possible to normalize bilateral relations, to develop relations and cooperation with the U.S. on key international issues, including, above all, counterterrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, illegal drug turnover, illegal migration, cyber crime, etc.”, the ministry said.

“We have worked and continue working on the assumption that global problems can only be resolved collectively. We are confident that most people on the planet share such an approach,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“We have been and are behaving in a responsible and reserved manner without having responded to evident provocations until now despite permanent Washington’s innuendos,” the ministry said.

“However, recent events show that Russophobia and a course at an open confrontation with our country have enrooted in certain U.S. circles,” it said.