U.S. Cites 'Espionage Activities' for Expulsion of Russian U.N. Staff

The United States announced Monday it is expelling 12 individuals from Russia’s U.N. delegation in New York, accusing them of being “intelligence operatives.”

Olivia Dalton, U.S. official spokesperson to the U.N., released a statement alleging the Russian officials who were expelled “abused their privileges of residency in the United States by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security”.

Dalton implied the decision to expel diplomats was not in response to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, instead the action had “been in the works for several months”.

Officials from the United States have not however provided any specific details of these “espionage activities”, but have laid out the delegates must leave by the 7th of March.

“Those diplomats that have been asked to leave the United States were engaged in activities that were not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats”, Richard Mills the U.S.’ deputy ambassador to the U.N. told a Security Council during a meeting discussing the Ukraine situation.

The expulsion came just hours after the U.S. announced the closure of their embassy in Minsk, Belarus, as well as granting U.S. diplomats in Russia the option to return to the States if they had any concerns about their safety in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has reacted furiously to the decision with Anatoly Antonov – Russia’s ambassador to Washington – “totally rejecting” America’s allegations and insisting it was a “hostile move” against the former Soviet nation. Antonov also said that Moscow was “deeply disappointed” in the United States.

Moscow is expected to retaliate with similar expulsions of U.S. diplomats and already Vassily Nebenzia the Russian ambassador to the U.N. has confirmed that there will likely be a “tit-for-tat” move from the Russian government.

“It’s not our choice, we didn’t initiate it”, Nebenzia told reporters at organization.