MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. Moscow is still facing issues in replacing diplomatic workers expelled from the US over the so-called Skripal issue, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov told reporters on Wednesday.

"We are still facing huge issues in tackling the shortage of diplomatic staff at our embassy, consulate general in New York and permanent mission in New York," he said.

"There was no clarification of reasons for the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats - talented, young and focused on work," Antonov noted.

Skripal issue

According to London, former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, who had been convicted in Russia of spying for Great Britain and later swapped for Russian intelligence officers, and his daughter Yulia suffered the effects of an alleged nerve agent in the British city of Salisbury on March 4. Claiming that the substance used in the attack had been a Novichok-class nerve agent developed in the Soviet Union, London rushed to accuse Russia of being involved in the incident. Moscow rejected all of the United Kingdom’s accusations.

In the wake of the Skripal incident, a number of EU member countries, the United States, Canada and Australia announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats. Washington expelled 60 diplomatic workers and closed the Russian consulate in Seattle.

The Russian Foreign Ministry later announced retaliatory measures against counties that had expelled Russian diplomats. In particular, Moscow expelled 60 US diplomats and closed the US consulate general in the city of St. Petersburg.