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Russia expels US diplomats in tit for tat Spy poisoning: Russia expels US diplomats in tit-for-tat measure
(35 minutes later)
Russia has expelled 60 US diplomats and closed the St Petersburg consulate in response to US action over a spy poisoning case in the UK. Russia has expelled 60 US diplomats and closed the country's St Petersburg consulate in a tit-for-tat response to US action over a spy poisoning case in the UK.
The moves were announced by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.The moves were announced by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
It comes amid a row over the nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy and his daughter in the UK. It comes amid a row over the nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy and his daughter in southern England.
Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire, southern England, on 4 March. Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in the city of Salisbury on 4 March.
More than 20 countries have expelled Russian envoys, in solidarity with the UK. More than 20 countries have expelled Russian envoys, in solidarity with the UK, which has blamed Moscow for the attack.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. Russia has vehemently denied any role. Mr Skripal remains in a critical but stable condition. His daughter's condition is said to be improving.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts. Mr Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures".
He said they included "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".
The US had earlier ordered the expulsion of 60 diplomats and closed the Russian consulate general in Seattle.
Mr Lavrov said other countries which had expelled Russian diplomats could expect Moscow to respond in kind. He said Russia was responding to "absolutely unacceptable actions".
Shortly afterwards, the Russian foreign ministry declared 58 US diplomats in Moscow and two in the city of Yekaterinburg to be "persona non grata", the Interfax news agency reported.