Tensions are skyrocketing between the US and Russia after Barack Obama's decision to respond to Russian hacking that interfered in the US presidential election with the expulsion of 35 Russian officials.
Russia is in fact considering the expulsion of 35 US diplomats. The Russian Foreign Ministry (MID) has sent President Vladimir Putin a list of 35 US diplomats to be declared persona non grata - 31 in Moscow and 4 in St. Petersburg. This was stated by Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov quoted by Tass. “We will act according to the principle of reciprocity,” he stressed. The Mid also proposes to ban the US from using "two facilities in Moscow".
Meanwhile, Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev expressed regret over the sanctions decreed by US President Barack Obama. "It is unfortunate that the Obama administration, which began its term with the restoration of cooperation with Russia is ending in anti-Russian agony," Medvedev wrote on Twitter.
White House spokesman Eric Schultz said Donald Trump's team had been warned of the sanctions on Russia. The president-elect in turn announces: "Next week I will meet with the leaders of the intelligence community to be updated on the facts of this situation."
