Moscow vows response to expulsion of diplomats

Moscow will retaliate against a series of expulsions of Russian diplomats from European countries and will provide a mirror-like response with regard to each case in the coming days, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

European countries and the US along with Canada and Australia have decided to expel Russian diplomats amid the Skripal case.

Moscow has been ready for the decision of Western countries to expel Russian diplomats, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Russian Consulate in Seattle is working to minimize the effects of the US closure of the mission, the senior Russian consul said.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova characterized the expulsion of Russian diplomats from EU countries as being loyal lip service to the UK and accused London of imposing on Europeans a deterioration in relations with Russia.

Sergei Skripal, 66, a former Russian intelligence officer, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury on March 4.

They remain in critical condition after exposure to a nerve agent, which, according to the British authorities, could have originated from Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow regrets the moves of the Western countries and will analyze the situation and propose response measures to President Vladimir Putin to make a final decision.

Sputnik-Xinhua