Russia hits back at sanctions

MOSCOW— Russia took its first steps Friday to retaliate against proposed U.S. sanctions for Moscow’s suspected meddling in the 2016 election, seizing two U.S. diplomatic properties in Russia and ordering the U.S. Embassy to reduce staff by September.

The moves, which had been threatened for weeks, came a day after the U.S. Senate approved a measure to expand economic sanctions against Russia, as well as against Iran and North Korea. The bill, mirroring one passed by the House on Tuesday, now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.

The latest move by the Kremlin strikes another blow against the already dismal diplomatic relations between the two sides, with each new step moving Moscow and Washington further from the rapprochement anticipated a few months ago.

Starting on Tuesday, Russia will block access to a warehouse in Moscow used by the U.S. Embassy and to a bucolic site along the Moscow River where staff members walk their dogs and hold barbecues.

The number of U.S. targets inside Russia for Kremlin retaliation is limited, particularly if Moscow is worried about damaging the investment climate or about other economic fallout.

External arenas, however, are a different matter. Moscow might have shown some restraint in eastern Ukraine or Syria because of the expectation of improving ties with Washington, but now, the Kremlin may be looking for places to challenge the United States.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, said the Russian leader had approved the retaliatory measures despite saying a day earlier that he would wait for the final version of the law before taking any such steps.