US Expels 35 Russian Diplomats Over Interference In Presidential Elections

Following official reports that Russia interfered with the US Presidential elections in November 2016, President Barack Obama has approved a wide range of sanctions against Moscow.

35 Russian diplomats have been given 72-hours to leave the U.S and two Russian compounds have been closed as Obama called the sanctions, “a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm US interests in violation of established international norms of behaviour”.

“The Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation are releasing declassified technical information on Russian civilian and military intelligence service cyber activity,” Obama added in his statement.

Reuters quotes a senior US intelligence official as saying, “These actions were taken to respond to Russian harassment of American diplomats and actions by the diplomats that we have assessed to be not consistent with diplomatic practice,”