Russian diplomats and their families were seen at International Airport in Russia’s Moscow Region on Monday after being expelled by the United States following new sanctions announced by President Barack Obama.
The people expelled from the United States comprised of 31 employees of the Russian embassy in Washington DC and four employees of the Consulate General in San Francisco. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, a total of 96 people, including family members of 35 Russian diplomats, were asked to leave the US within 72 hours, while two Russian diplomatic compounds are being closed, one in Maryland and the other in New York.
The sanctions were in response to allegations of Russian hacking of the US presidential election.