The US has expelled 35 Russian diplomats and closed two Russian compounds in New York and Maryland, a senior US official told Reuters. The move was a response to what he called a campaign of harassment by Russia against American diplomats in Moscow.
The Russian diplomats would be given 72 hours to leave US soil, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The Russian staff will also be denied access to the New York and Maryland compound as of noon on Friday, the source added.
"These actions were taken to respond to Russian harassment of American diplomats and actions by the diplomats that we have assessed to be not consistent with diplomatic practice," the unnamed official told Reuters.