The State Department does not consider the upcoming departure of Russian diplomats a punitive measure

“We do not believe that this is an expulsion.

This is not a punitive measure.

Russia was notified in advance of this, "- quoted by Porter TASS.

The United States authorities are making the same demands on Russian diplomats that Russia makes on American ones, she concluded.

Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov previously announced that 27 Russian diplomats would leave the United States on January 30.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow will definitely respond to this step.