Russia’s Ambassador Anatoly Antonov to the United States, said that Washington had asked 24 Russian diplomats to leave the country by September 3 due to visa expiration. "We received a list of twenty-four diplomats who are expected to leave the country before September 3, 2021," said Antonov.  He added, "Almost all of them will leave without replacements because Washington has abruptly tightened visa issuing procedures. last December the State Department unilaterally established a three-year limit on the assignment period for Russian personnel in the US that, as far as we know, is not applied to any other country".

Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Ned Price responded on Monday that Antonov's "characterisation of the situation is not accurate. It's incorrect". "The three-year limit on visa validity for Russians, it's nothing new. When visas expire these individuals are expected to leave the country or apply for an extension. That is what is at play here," he told before media briefing.

The Russian Ambassador's comment came two days after the State Department said it had laid off 182 local employees and dozens of contractors at American diplomatic facilities in Russia as requested by Moscow.

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