MOSCOW. Feb 18 (Interfax) - Russia has expelled United States Deputy Chief of Mission Bart Gorman as a tit-for-tat measure to the expulsion of the minister-counselor of the Russian embassy in Washington, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"The American diplomat was indeed ordered to leave Russia, but strictly in response to the unjustified expulsion of our embassy's minister-counselor in Washington, despite his status as a senior official. Moreover, the U.S. Department of State ostentatiously ignored our request to extend his stay at least until the arrival of an official to replace him," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a commentary published on the ministry's website on Thursday evening.
"As a result, he was forced to leave without a replacement, which exacerbated the already critical staff shortage in the Russian diplomatic mission, formed due to the 'visa war' unleashed by the Americans," Zakharova said.
"It was the U.S. side that initiated another exchange of expulsions in September 2021, demanding the departure of 55 Russian diplomats and administrative and technical staff in two stages until January 30 and June 30 of this year," she said.
"All attempts on our part to resolve the issue by 'freezing' the expulsions on a reciprocal basis were rejected. Moreover, the U.S. State Department also subjected the Russian minister-counselor to what is essentially a sanctions measure, although they were well aware that a mirror response would follow in relation to Bart Gorman," the commentary noted.
"Once again we reiterate that mass expulsions of diplomats and the 'visa war' that is gaining momentum is not our choice. Repeatedly and at different levels we have proposed to the U.S. side to end deteriorating conditions for the operation of the diplomatic missions of both countries and to nullify all the restrictions that have been imposed in recent years," it said.
"Unfortunately, as the U.S. administration sees this, the normalization of bilateral relations is a one-way street where only American interests are ensured and everything else is ignored. Of course, we do not intend to tolerate such a discriminatory approach," Zakharova said.