MOSCOW – The United States embassy in Moscow has confirmed that the mission has been deprived of designated parking spaces near the building.
“Authorities removed signs outside the Embassy that had designated four parking spaces for our staff. Regarding the potential impact, we do not generally comment on internal Embassy logistics,” embassy spokesperson Maria Olson told Interfax on Sept.15.
It was reported on Sept.14 that the St. Petersburg city administration had eliminated a parking area near the US consulate general building and arranged a pedestrian crossing instead.
“In fact, there was an unlawful impromptu parking lot there. Now a pedestrian crossing has been arranged and striped there. The people walking along the alley now can calmly cross the street rather than work their way through cars,” the city transport infrastructure committee told Interfax.
It was also reported that the Yekaterinburg city administration removed road signs allowing US diplomats to park their cars in the street near the consulate general building. The administration said it had been done at the local traffic police department’s recommendation.
It was also reported on Thursday that concrete blocks barring the entrance to the US consulate general in Vladivostok had been removed.
“There is no political agenda in this. The concrete blocks were put right on the road and obstructed the traffic. Now they’ve been removed. The road services are restoring the asphalt covering now,” the Vladivostok city hall told Interfax.
Parking spaces for the diplomats’ official vehicles had been removed in Vladivostok about a year ago, and there is a pedestrian area there now. Diplomatic mission employees park their cars along the sidewalk.
On July 28 the Russian Foreign Ministry announced countermeasures with respect to Washington after US Congress passed a bill on sanctions against Russia. In particular, the total number of personnel employed at US diplomatic and consular institutions in Russia is to be cut to 455 people, and beginning on August 1, Russia has suspended the US Embassy’s use of all warehouse premises in Dorozhnaya Street in Moscow and a dacha in Serebryany Bor.
On August 31 the US announced its decision to close the Russian consulate in San Francisco and a number of consular outposts in Washington and New York in response to the reduction of the US diplomatic presence in Russia.
The consular buildings in Washington and New York, whose closure has been ordered, are currently used by the Russian trade mission staff, a high-ranking official in the US administration said earlier.
In San Francisco, it is not only the consulate general but also the official residence that is to be closed, he said.
