U.S. expels 12 members of Russia’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations

The Biden administration has expelled twelve members of Russia’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations from the United States, ordering the diplomats to leave the country by March 7 for engaging in activities not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats, The Washington Post reported.  

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council on Monday that he had just been informed of “yet another hostile step undertaken by the host country” against the Russian Mission – a move he qualified as a “gross violation” of the U.N. agreement with the United States as the host of the United Nations and of the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations.

U.S. Deputy U.N. Ambassador Richard Mills responded by saying that the diplomats had been asked to leave "so they do not harm the national security of the host country" and added that the decision was taken in full accordance with the U.N. headquarters agreement.

State Department officials described the Russian diplomats as "intelligence operatives" who had been "engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security."

"This action has been in development for several months," said U.S. Mission to the United Nations Spokesperson Olivia Dalton, Reuters reported.

Since Russia first invaded Ukraine on Thursday of last week, the U.S. and its Western allies have imposed crippling economic sanctions on Moscow and have vowed to ramp up military and economic assistance.