Rebecca Ross, a spokeswoman for the US Embassy in Russia, confirmed that she is among ten American diplomats that Moscow is expelling from the country in response to similar actions by Washington.
This was reported by RIA Novosti.
“Yes, I’m on the list”, – Ross said in response to a related question.
Earlier, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on media reports that the press secretary of the American embassy would be expelled from the Russian Federation, told RIA Novosti that “the United States is behaving strangely”.
According to him, the American side does not allow the press secretary of the Russian embassy in Washington, and the diplomatic mission in the United States is forced to work without a person appointed in Moscow for this position. Recall that on April 15, the United States introduced new sanctions against Russia, which affected 32 individuals and associations. The sanctions also prohibit US financial institutions from buying Russian government bonds on IPOs after June 14.
In addition, Washington announced that it would expel 10 Russian diplomatic personnel from the country. Moscow has announced retaliatory measures that include mirroring the expulsion of diplomats, barring a number of US officials from entering, and inviting Ambassador John Sullivan to travel to Washington for consultations.
The Russian Foreign Ministry previously summoned US Charge d’Affaires in Russia, Bart Gorman, who was handed a note announcing the announcement of 10 American Embassy employees to be persona non grata, they must leave Russia by the end of the day on May 21.
Ross will not be the first US embassy press secretary to be expelled by Russia. In March 2018, following an incident in Salisbury, UK, where, according to British authorities, former GRU officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned, the United States struck an unprecedented blow on Russian diplomats. 60 people were deported, and the consulate general in Seattle was closed. Russia responded in a mirror-like manner, including the press secretary of the US Embassy Maria Olson among the expelled diplomats.