WORLD Russia strikes back

Foreign Minister says 150 western diplomats to be expelled

RUSSIAN Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would expel 150 diplomats from Western countries, including 60 US diplomats, and close the US consulate in Saint Petersburg in a tit-for-tat expulsion over the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal.

The Russian move came as a hospital treating Mr Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, said the woman was improving rapidly and was now in a stable condition, though her father remained in a critical condition. The Skripals were found unconscious and critically ill in the English city of Salisbury on March 4.

Mr Lavrov said the US ambassador Jon Huntsman had been informed of “retaliatory measures”, saying that “they include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate-general in Saint Petersburg”.

Washington earlier ordered the expulsion of 60 diplomats and shut down the Russian consulate-general in Seattle.

Mr Lavrov said the same approach would be applied to other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week.

Two dozen countries, including the US, Australia, many EU nations and NATO, have ordered out more than 150 Russian diplomats.

The US says there’s “no justification” for Russia’s retaliatory moves.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says that “Russia should not be acting like a victim”.

She called Russia’s actions “regrettable” and “unwarranted.” Russia’s embassy in Canberra has accused Australia of blindly following Britain by deciding to expel two Russian diplomats.

“It is astonishing how easily the allies of Great Britain follow it blindly contrary to the norms of civilised bilateral dialogue and international relations, and against ... common sense,” it said in a statement.