The United States has ordered 12 Russian diplomats to leave U.S. soil by March 7th for allegedly engaging in “espionage activities.”
Olivia Dalton, spokeswoman for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (U.N.) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced the news on Twitter on Monday afternoon.
“The U.S. has informed the Russian Mission that we are beginning the process of expelling 12 intelligence operatives from the Russian Mission who have abused their privileges of residency in the U.S. by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security,” Dalton explained. “We are taking this action in accordance with the headquarters agreement. Today’s action has been in the works for several months.”
We are taking this action in accordance with the headquarters agreement. Today’s action has been in the works for several months.
— Olivia Dalton (@USUNSpoxOAD) February 28, 2022
The Russian diplomats were reportedly told to leave due to their alleged engagement in “activities that were not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats,” Ambassador Richard Mills, deputy representative of the United States to the United Nations, said during a UN Security Council meeting, according to CNN.
The US Mission to the UN stated that the 12 Russian diplomats were “intelligence operatives…who have abused their privileges of residency in the US by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security.”
“We are taking this action in accordance with the headquarters agreement. Today’s action has been in the works for several months,” US Mission spokesperson Olivia Alair Dalton said.
