USA: Russia Harasses U.S. & European Diplomatic Personnel

The USA alleges that Over the past two years, harassment of t diplomatic personnel in Russia by security personnel and police has increased significantly and “gone far beyond international diplomatic norms of behavior”.

The United States also claims that other Western Embassies have reported similar concerns.  In response to this allege harassment, outgoing President Obama has authorized the following actions:

• The US State Department declared 35 Russian government officials from the Russian Embassy in Washington and the Russian Consulate in San Francisco “persona non grata.” It is alleged that  they were acting in a manner inconsistent with their diplomatic status. Those individuals and their families were given 72 hours to leave the United States.
• In addition to this action, the Department of State has provided notice that as of noon on Friday, December 30, Russian access will be denied to two Russian government-owned compounds, one in Maryland and one in New York.