MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. The US embassy in Moscow reviews the information on retaliatory sanctions imposed by Russia on Friday and holds consultations with Washington, US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan told TASS.
"We have seen a message that appears on the website belonging to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and are reviewing the information therein, in consultation with Washington. We have not received any official diplomatic correspondence providing details of the Russian government actions against the diplomatic mission of the United States of America in Russia," the ambassador said.
Earlier in the day, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Yuri Ushakov, the Russian presidential aide, briefed US Ambassador in Moscow John Sullivan on Russia’s response measures to the new round of US sanctions. In particular, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov explained that the US ambassador was advised to leave for Washington for consultations. Russia will expel ten US diplomats and launch a procedure than stops the practice of hiring citizens of Russia and third countries by the US diplomatic missions in Russia.
Apart from that, the Foreign Ministry announced that Russia bars entry for eight "incumbent and former US high-ranking officials and figures, who have been involved in working out and implementing the anti-Russian policy." Among them are the US attorney general, the FBI director, the director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.