The Russian foreign ministry summoned British Ambassador Laurie Bristow Friday to inform him that the U.K. must reduce its diplomatic presence in Russia by removing “a little over 50” diplomats and consular personnel. Russia summoned senior envoys on Friday from most of the other countries that have expelled Russian diplomats and told them it was expelling a commensurate number of theirs. Russia explained that it will not allow Britain to have more diplomatic personnel in Russia than the latter has serving in the U.K.

Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer, and his daughter Yulia are in critical condition after a nerve agent attack earlier this month in Salisbury, England. A day earlier, Moscow ordered the expulsion of 60 U.S. diplomats and the closing of the U.S. consulate in St Petersburg, Russia’s second city, in retaliation for the biggest ejection of diplomats since the Cold War. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia expelled 59 diplomats from 23 countries on Friday and said it reserved the right to take action against four other nations in a worsening standoff with the West over the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Britain.
The government of Russia expels 59 diplomats from 23 nations and may also take retaliatory action against four other countries.