Russia to expel 150 western diplomats from countries including US, Australia

Russia has taken its revenge on the West, including the United States, Great Britain and Australia, in response to its poisoning of a former spy.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said Moscow would expel 150 diplomats from western countries, including 60 US diplomats and close the US consulate in Saint Petersburg in a tit-for-tat expulsion over the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal.

Mr Lavrov said that the US ambassador Jon Huntsman had been informed of “retaliatory measures”, saying that “they include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg”.

Washington earlier ordered the expulsion of 60 diplomats and shut down the Russian consulate general in Seattle.

Mr Lavrov said the same approach will be applied to other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week.

Two dozen countries, including the US, Australia, many EU nations and NATO, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain.

The United States says there’s “no justification” for Russia’s retaliatory moves.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says that “Russia should not be acting like a victim.”

She called Russia’s actions “regrettable” and “unwarranted.”

Russia’s Embassy in Canberra has accused Australia of blindly following Britain by deciding to expel two Russian diplomats.

It is astonishing how easily the allies of Great Britain follow it blindly contrary to the norms of civilised bilateral dialogue and international relations, and against ... common sense,” it said in a statement.

The mass expulsions were a show of solidarity with Britain, which blames Russia for the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Russia has denied involvement.