The United States delegation expelled Russian diplomats from the United Nations (UN) for reasons of national security, denouncing apparent espionage.
US diplomats at the UN described the Russian diplomats as alleged intelligence agents who abused residency privileges in the United States by participating in espionage activities “that are adverse to our national security.”
For his part, the Russian ambassador before the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, told the press that the diplomats were asked to leave before March 7, and said that Russia would respond to the measure as a diplomatic practice, reported CNN.
Russia raised the issue at the beginning of an emergency meeting of the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and described the US move as “hostile” and a violation of its commitments as host of the UN, whose headquarters are in New York.
“I have just received information that the US authorities have taken another hostile action against the Russian Mission to the United Nations in serious violation of their commitments on the host country agreement they entered into,” Nebenzia told reporters. “They just visited the mission and they gave us a note prescribing us to do what they demand.” they were asked to leave the United States were involved in activities that were not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats.”
He added that they were asked to withdraw so that they would not harm “the national security of the host country”, since the decision was made in accordance with the agreement of the UN headquarters.
During the first session of the emergency meeting of the UN General Assembly, the problems that Russia will have in order to have the support of a leader in its decision to invade Ukraine became evident.
The actions undertaken by the United States in the Organization occur after the European Union announced this afternoon that it is expanding the number of sanctioned Russians close to President Vladimir Putin in the face of the invasion he authorized on Thursday against Ukraine .