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Russian embassy staff in US to drop to 184 people in January on US demands — ambassador

According to Anatoly Antonov, the US in September sent the embassy a list of 55 diplomatic mission’s employees that were to leave the US in two phases

WASHINGTON, January 28. /TASS/. As few as 184 people will remain in Russia’s embassy in Washington by the end of the month as some diplomats as leaving the country due to the demands of the US State Department, Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov said on Friday.

The US in September sent the embassy a list of 55 diplomatic mission’s employees that were to leave the US in two phases, he said. As part of the first phase, 27 employees should exit the country by January 30, and the second phase requires departure of 28 employees by June 30, Antonov said.

The last four employees of the group are going home on January 29, while the other 23 left the country earlier.

"Following this expulsion, there will be 184 employees left in the Russian embassy, including diplomats and support staff," Antonov said on Facebook. "Regarding our response, the decision is up to Moscow. Under any circumstances, we act based on reciprocity."

The ambassador said Russia advocates for "normal living environment" for both US and Russian diplomats and that the proposal to mutually cancel out all restrictions, including in the area of visas, remain in force.

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