The United States has sent twelve Russian United Nations diplomats out of the country.
They were accused of allegedly engaging in “activities that were not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats.”
The Deputy Representative of the United States to the UN, Ambassador Richard Mills, said this during a UN Security Council meeting, Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador to the U.N, Vassily Nebenzia, countered Mills’ explanation, saying it was “not satisfactory.”
The US Mission to the UN also confirmed in a statement that the 12 Russian diplomats were “intelligence operatives.”
He said the diplomats have abused their privileges of residency in the United States by engaging in “espionage activities that are adverse to our national security.”
“We are taking this action in accordance with the headquarters agreement. Today’s action has been in the works for several months,” US Mission spokesperson Olivia Dalton said.
The United States and the other Western countries have landed heavily on Russia with several sanctions over President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade neighbouring Ukraine.
Hundreds of people, including women and children, have already lost their lives to the war, which broke out last Thursday.