US orders Russia to close consulate & annexes in diplomatic retaliation

In a well calculated retaliation to Russia's order that the US should cut it's diplomatic staff in Moscow by half, the US has ordered Russia to close its consulate in San Francisco and two diplomatic annexes, in New York and Washington.

The decision on Thursday comes a day Moscow's deadline for US personnel to leave their positions and will take effect Saturday.

The United States has fully implemented the decision by the Government of the Russian Federation to reduce the size of our mission in Russia, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement announcing the decision.

We believe this action was unwarranted and detrimental to the overall relationship between our countries.

In the spirit of parity invoked by the Russians, we are requiring the Russian government to close its Consulate General in San Francisco, a chancery annex in Washington, DC, and a consular annex in New York City.

The tit-for-tat move, was conveyed to Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov by Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson in a phone call.

Nauert also noted the United States was allowing Russia to maintain additional annexes "in an effort to arrest the downward spiral in our relationship," but was "prepared to take further action as necessary and as warranted."

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the decision to close the Russian diplomatic facilities was made directly by Trump.

This was a decision made by the President, she said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry acknowledged the move saying Tillerson spoke directly with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in a phone call.