He announced this in an interview with The National Interest.
“We received a list of 24 diplomats who are expected to leave the country by September 3, 2021.
Almost all of them will leave without replacement, because Washington has dramatically tightened visa procedures, ”Antonov said.
In addition, according to the Russian diplomat, the US authorities are canceling the valid visas of the spouses and children of the employees of the Russian embassy without giving any reasons.
According to Antonov, widespread delays in the extension of expired visas are aimed at "squeezing" Russians out of the country.
“As a result, about 60 of my colleagues (130 along with family members) cannot return to their homeland even under urgent humanitarian circumstances,” he added.
Antonov announced the need to make decisions based on the principle of parity.
The Russian ambassador to Washington believes that the easiest and fastest way to resolve the situation is to completely cancel all measures and countermeasures that restrain the activities of diplomats.
At the end of April, the American Embassy in Russia announced that in connection with the Moscow-imposed retaliatory measures, from May 12, it would provide consular services only to Americans and in respect of a limited number of urgent cases.