US says it is expelling 12 Russian diplomats for espionage

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States has announced it is expelling 12 members of Russia’s U.N. mission, accusing them of being “intelligence operatives” engaged in espionage. The U.S. Mission to the United Nations said in a statement Monday that the Russian diplomats “have abused their privileges of residency in the United States by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security.” The mission says the expulsions had been “in development for several months” and are in accordance with the United States’ agreement with the United Nations as host of the 193-member world body. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia says the expulsions are a “gross violation” of that agreement as well as the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations.