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Russia’s UN envoy calls US decision to close Russian diplomats’ dachas cynical

"It's quite scandalous that they chose to go after our kids," Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin EPA/JASON SZENES

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin

© EPA/JASON SZENES

UNITED NATIONS, December 30. /TASS/. The US decision to block access to two Russian-owned compounds in New York and Maryland is outrageous and cynical, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin told reporters on Friday.

"I think it's quite scandalous that they chose to go after our kids. They know full well that those two facilities that they mentioned in their notes, are vacation facilities for our kids. This is Christmas time. This is vacation time for our schools, from the January 1 to the January 10, this is the time when the kids go to those two facilities," he said.

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Moscow says 96 Russians will have to leave US due to diplomat expulsions

"So, to block our access to them just while the holidays were starting, to me was rather cynical. So, here go their family values ," Churkin noted.

On December 29, it became known that Washington slapped new sanctions on Moscow over its supposed cyberattacks on US institutions. The restrictive measures announced on Thursday apply to some Russian companies, the Federal Security Service and the Russian General Staff’s Main Department and its senior officials. In addition to that, US authorities declared 35 Russian diplomats persona non grata. Thjey are to leave the US within 72 hours. Washington also informed Moscow that it would deny Russian personnel access to two recreational compounds in the United States owned by the Russian government.

Churkin explained that the decision to expel Russian diplomats did not affect Russia’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier on Friday that Moscow would not expel US diplomats from Russia in response to "unfriendly actions by the outgoing US administration." US President-elect, Donald Trump, will replace Barack Obama in the White House on January 20, 2017.

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United States Vitaly Churkin Sanctions

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