Vladimir Putin responds to sanction, asks US to cut 755 diplomatic staff in Russia

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday the United States would have to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755, heightening tensions between Washington and Moscow three days after the US Congress approved sanctions against Russia.

In response, the US State Department deemed it "a regrettable and uncalled for act."

Russian's Foreign Ministry on Friday ordered a reduction by September 1 in the number of US diplomatic personnel in Russia. It said it is ordering the US Embassy to limit the number of embassy and consular employees in the country to 455 in response to



approval of the new package of American sanctions. The White House has said US President Donald Trump would sign those sanctions into law.

The legislation, which also targets Iran and North Korea, seeks to punish Moscow for meddling in the 2016 US election and for its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria.

"We had hoped that the situation will somehow change, but apparently if it changes, it won't be soon," Putin said in an interview televised on Rossiya 1, explaining why Moscow decided to retaliate. "I thought it was the time to show that we're not going to leave it without an answer."