Moscow - President Vladimir Putin announced that 755 US
diplomats must leave Russia, according to state news agency TASS
on Sunday, in retaliation for new sanctions passed by the US
Congress.
"We have been waiting for quite a long time for positive changes [in
Washington's attitude to Moscow], we hoped that the situation will
change," Putin was quoted as saying.
"I thought we must demonstrate that we are not going to leave
anything unanswered either," he added.
On Friday itself the Russian Foreign Ministry threatened to expel US
diplomats from the country and said it was ending US access to a
diplomatic estate in the Moscow region.
A US bill to impose new sanctions against Russia, Iran and North
Korea has received overwhelming support in Congress and is being sent
to President Donald Trump for final approval.
The White House said late Friday that Trump intends to sign it,
despite aides previously indicating he could veto it.