Antonov upbraided the United States in circumvention of restrictions on the work of the embassy in Moscow

The United States is bypassing restrictions on the work of the diplomatic mission in Moscow, the embassy employs at least 130 employees who are not US citizens. This statement was made by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States Anatoly Antonov on the air of the program “Big Game”.

“Russian restrictions are not fully implemented by the Americans. They try to bypass them. According to official data alone, today the American embassy employs more than 130 so-called administrative workers who are not US citizens, ”he said (quote according to RIA Novosti).

According to Antonov, this is one of the reasons why “we cannot get rid of the shortage of our personnel.” He explained that this refers to the personnel needed to “maintain the office and living quarters of Russian diplomatic missions in good condition”: communication specialists, mechanics, electricians, drivers, etc.

In April 2021, the United States expanded anti-Russian sanctions and expelled ten Russian diplomats from the country. In response, Russia also declared ten US diplomats persona non grata. In May, the Russian government included The United States is on the list of unfriendly countries. Such states are prohibited from hiring Russians and citizens of third countries in their embassies.

In this regard, the American embassy had to significantly reduce staff. Since May 2021, Moscow has stopped issuing US non-immigrant visas to Russians. In November 2022, then Chargé d’Affaires ai in Moscow Elizabeth Rude pointed out to a significant reduction in the number of employees at the American embassy in Moscow.