US orders 24 Russian diplomats to leave country by September 3
Washington has urged 24 Russian diplomats to leave the US by September 3 due to visa expiration, the Russian ambassador to the US informed on Sunday.
Almost all the diplomats will leave the US without replacements as Washington has abruptly tightened visa issuing procedures, Xinhua reported citing Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov.
"We have received a list of twenty-four diplomats who are expected to leave the country before September 3, 2021, last December the US State Department unilaterally established a three-year limit on the assignment period for Russian personnel in the United States that, as far as we know, is not applied to any other country," Antonov added.
His remarks came during an interview with the Washington-based The National Interest.
While the US State Department spokesperson Ned Price responded to Antonov's remarks and said that his "characterization of the situation is not accurate. It's incorrect."
"The three-year limit on visa validity for Russians, it's nothing new. When visas expire, these individuals are expected to leave the country or apply for an extension," Ned informed.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry in April announced a complete ban on the US diplomatic missions from hiring citizens of Russia or third countries to administrative and technical posts in response to US sanctions and expulsion of Russian diplomats, Xinhua reported.
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