MOSCOW, July 28. /TASS/. US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft has expressed strong disappointment and protest with the Russian Foreign Ministry’s decision to reduce the number of US diplomats and restrict access of the diplomatic mission to its warehouses and the compound, the US Embassy’s press service told TASS on Friday.

"We have received the Russian government notification. Ambassador Tefft expressed his strong disappointment and protest. We have passed the notification back to Washington for review," the embassy said.

On July 27, the US Congress completed the voting procedure for a new law that tightens restrictive measures against Russia. On Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement which said that Russia would reduce the number of US diplomatic staff in Russia to 455 people and close access to a US diplomatic compound in Serebryany Bor since August 1 in retaliation for development of new anti-Russian sanctions.