2 US diplomats in Russia declared persona non grata

Russia is expelling two US diplomats it accused of working with a Russian national accused of collaborating with a foreign state, Report informs referring to Reuters.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had summoned US envoy Lynne Tracy and told her that embassy first secretary Jeffrey Sillin and second secretary David Bernstein must leave Russia within seven days.

"The named people conducted illegal activity, maintaining contact with Russian citizen R. Shonov, accused of 'confidential cooperation' with a foreign state," the ministry said.

It is noted that Robert Shonov, a Russian national, was employed by the US Consulate General in the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok for more than 25 years until Russia in 2021 ordered the termination of the US mission's local staff.

Russian state news agency TASS quoted the FSB security service as saying that Shonov relayed information to US embassy staff in Moscow on how Russia's conscription campaign was impacting political discontent ahead of the 2024 presidential election in Russia.

The FSB had said it planned to question US embassy employees who were in contact with Shonov, who has been under arrest since May.

The foreign ministry said Shonov had been paid to complete tasks aimed at damaging Russia's national security and that any US embassy interference in its internal affairs would be suppressed.