Accessibility links

Breaking News

Moscow Prepares Retaliation for US Seizure of Russian Diplomatic Compounds


FILE - An entrance to the grounds of a riverfront compound near Centreville, Maryland, that has been used by Russian Federation diplomats for years is blocked to reporters by state department personnel, Dec. 29, 2016.
FILE - An entrance to the grounds of a riverfront compound near Centreville, Maryland, that has been used by Russian Federation diplomats for years is blocked to reporters by state department personnel, Dec. 29, 2016.

Moscow is preparing retaliatory measures to Washington's decision to seize two Russian diplomatic compounds in the United States in 2016, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday.

In December, the U.S. seized two Russian diplomatic compounds as then-President Barack Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russians over what he said was their involvement in hacking to interfere in the U.S. presidential election campaign.

Moscow, which denies such allegations, did not retaliate immediately, saying it would wait to see if relations improved under President Donald Trump.

"Retaliatory measures are being prepared. As you understand, such a decision on the issue won't be made only by the foreign ministry," said ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Speaking on state-run Rossiya 1 channel, Zakharova said Washington realizes that Moscow would retaliate.

Russian Kommersant newspaper reported in June that Russia may seize U.S. diplomatic property in Moscow and complicate life for an Anglo-American school unless Washington hands back the two diplomatic compounds in the United States before July.

  • 16x9 Image

    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

XS
SM
MD
LG