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US falsely claims that Russia puts obstacles to work of consular offices - ambassador

Russia does not interfere with the work of the US consular offices, Russia’s Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said

MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. Russia does not interfere with the work of the US consular offices, such statements by Washington are false, Russia’s Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said in an interview on Solovyev Live YouTube channel on Saturday.

"Of course, the Americans have said that the Russians have created problems in issuing visas to Russians who would like to go to the United States. But this is nonsense. I want to say on your YouTube channel officially, from I don’t have a single request from my American colleagues asking me to issue a visa to an employee of the United States consular office in Russia," he said.

"As for the Russian consular offices - and we have three of them: in Washington, Houston, and New York - we are ready for such work [issuing visas to US citizens to visit Russia]," Antonov added.

The ambassador noted that there are no breakthroughs in consular work between the two countries so far. "To summarize what I am saying, there are no breakthroughs, no serious movements. As for the Russian side, we are advancing with difficulties, we are moving and will move in this direction," he stressed.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that all categories of Russian citizens are experiencing "the inadequacy of the American visa policy." At the same time, Russian visas for US citizens were issued without delay.

On April 30, 2021, the US Embassy announced that from May 12 it will reduce the number of consular services, including suspending the consideration of documents for visas that are not intended for diplomatic travel. They explained that it was necessary in connection with the decision of the Russian authorities to prohibit diplomatic missions from hiring foreigners. Later, the implementation of this decision was postponed until July 16.