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Russian diplomat expects report from US on its diplomatic staff cut in Russia

On July 28, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Washington should equal the number of its diplomatic and technical staff working in the US embassies in Russia

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. Moscow is waiting for official notifications from Washington on the redundancy process for American diplomatic missions operating in Russia, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

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"The American side said that it will officially respond within the specified terms to what was proposed by the Russian side. It was voiced several times, at least, during our diplomatic contacts," Zakharova noted. "So, we are waiting for official statements and clarification remarks from the US. I don’t know in which way they’ll do it."

On July 28, Moscow suggested Washington should equal by September 1 the number of its diplomatic and support staff working in Russia to the number of Russian diplomats working in the US. This means that the total number of staff working in American diplomatic missions in Russia will be reduced to 455 people. On July 30, President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with VGTRK TV presenter Vladimir Solovyev that 755 US diplomats and support staff employees had to leave Russia. Besides, Russia suspended the use by the US Embassy of its facilities on Dorozhnaya St, Moscow, and in the Silver Forest (Serebryany Bor) on August 1.

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