Russia ousts hundreds of US diplomats

THE Kremlin deepened tensions with the US last night as it ordered hundreds of diplomats out of the country after Washington voted to strengthen sanctions.

The Putin regime also seized two American diplomatic properties as it retaliated at a US Senate vote for new financial penalties on Russia over its alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election, annexation of Crimea and military operations in Ukraine.

Donald Trump is seeking friendlier relations with Moscow but risks antagonising fellow Republicans in the Senate if he vetoes the sanctions.

The Russian foreign ministry said it had asked the US embassy to cut its diplomatic and technical staff to no more than 455 by September 1.

The figure is the same as the number of Russian diplomats in the US after Washington expelled 35 last December.

The order affects also affects consulates in St Petersburg and two other cities.

Officials would not confirm exactly how many US staff will be affected but government sources said about 1,100 work for its Russian embassy, including 300 Americans.

The Kremlin has also stopped the remaining US staff from using a storage facility in Moscow and a country house.

The Russian foreign ministry warned it ‘reserves the right to carry out other measures that could affect the interests of the US’.

John Tefft, the US ambassador in Moscow, expressed his ‘strong disappointment’ over the Kremlin retaliation.