WASHINGTON, January 17. /TASS/. Employees of the Russian embassy heading to the United States have been waiting for visas from Washington for several years, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said in an interview with TASS.

"In December, two dozen more staffers had to leave our diplomatic mission, in accordance with the instructions from the US authorities," he said.

According to the ambassador, "the American authorities continue their hardline policy of putting up groundless, unreasonable obstructions to the normal operation of our foreign missions in the United States."

"The Embassy and consulates general in New York and Houston are still experiencing problems with the entry of new staffers," Antonov noted.

He said that Russian officials "often spend years waiting for visas."

"In addition, the Department of State refuses to revise its own rules that set a three-year cap on the duration of stay in the United States for the personnel of Russian foreign missions," the ambassador added.

Full interview: https://tass.com/politics/1733371