Russia on Thursday said it was expelling two US embassy staff for allegedly“liaising” with Robert Shonov, a former US consulate worker accused byMoscow of spying.
Shonov, who worked for the US consulate in Vladivostok, was charged withallegedly passing information about the conflict in Ukraine to Americandiplomats, a claim the US has rejected.
Russia’s foreign ministry said the two US diplomats – Jeff Sillin and DavidBernstein – conducted “illegal activities by liaising with a Russiancitizen, (Robert) Shonov”.
“The US ambassador was told that Sillin and Bernstein must leave theterritory of Russia within seven days under the status of persona nongrata,” it said.
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Tensions between Russia and the United States have been deteriorating foryears, and both sides have expelled diplomatic staff.
The United States strongly condemned Shonov’s arrest in May, accusingRussia of using “increasingly repressive laws against its own citizens”.APP/AFP
