Expulsion of 35 US diplomats proposed to Putin

In retaliation to Washington's penalties for alleged Russian election hacking, Russia set to expel equal number from country

By Hakan Ceyhan Aydogan

MOSCOW (AA) – In the latest shot in an escalating diplomatic war, Russia’s Foreign Ministry is proposing that President Vladimir Putin expel 35 U.S. diplomats, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Rossiya-24 television Friday.

The proposal came one day after the U.S. applied wide-ranging penalties on Russia, including deporting 35 suspected intelligence operatives, for its alleged role in hacking this year's elections to favor the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump.

The U.S. sanctions target nine entities and individuals, including Russia's main intelligence directorate, the GRU, and its Federal Security Service, the FSB.

President Barack Obama said Thursday the 35 officials being expelled are "intelligence operatives". The officials and their families were given 72 hours to leave the U.S.

Vladimir Djabarov, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council's International Affairs Committee, said Russia would retaliate against the expulsion of its diplomats.

"Reciprocity is an act in diplomacy and international relations," said Lavrov.

Kaynak:

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