The United States government says it is expelling 12 Russian “intelligence operatives” from the Russian Mission to the United Nations over national security concerns.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations announced Monday the U.S. is “beginning the process” of expelling these individuals as part of a process that has “been in the works for several months,” though the move comes less than a week into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
US EXPELS RUSSIA’S SECOND-IN-COMMAND DIPLOMAT AT DC EMBASSY
“We are beginning the process of expelling 12 intelligence operatives from the Russian Mission who have abused their privileges of residency in the U.S. by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security,” Olivia Dalton tweeted. The United Nations is headquartered in New York City.
The U.S. has informed the Russian Mission that we are beginning the process of expelling 12 intelligence operatives from the Russian Mission who have abused their privileges of residency in the U.S. by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security.
— Olivia Dalton (@USUNSpox) February 28, 2022
The diplomats were reportedly asked to leave by March 7. Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzia said Russia will comply “because it’s diplomatic practice,” according to Reuters.
U.S. Deputy U.N. Ambassador Richard Mills told the outlet the diplomats were engaged in activities that were “not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats.”
The names of the diplomats were not provided.
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Last Thursday, a State Department official said the U.S. had expelled the second-highest-ranked diplomat at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., in response to Russia expelling U.S. Deputy Chief of the Mission to Russia Bart Gorman from Moscow earlier this month.
Russia and the U.S. have a history of shaking up diplomatic staffing in each other’s countries. In 2016, the Obama administration expelled 35 Russian operatives over alleged Russian election interference.
