Russia expels several American diplomats, declares them ‘persona non grata’: State Department

“We can confirm that the US Embassy received a list of diplomats declared “persona non grata” from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 23,” a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday.

After the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war of words and sanctions have intensified between the two countries.

The US has imposed severe sanctions against Russia. This includes individual and economic. Russia too has imposed sanctions against US officials, including President Joe Biden.

“This is Russia’s latest unhelpful and unproductive step in our bilateral relationship. We call on the Russian government to end its unjustified expulsions of US diplomats and staff,” the spokesperson said.

“Now more than ever, it is critical that our countries have the necessary diplomatic personnel in place to facilitate communication between our governments,” the spokesperson said.