Mass expulsion of Russian diplomats across the world; US expels 60

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Mass expulsion of Russian diplomats across the world; US expels 60
Mass expulsion of Russian diplomats across the world; US expels 60

Washington : Scores of suspected Russian diplomats have been expelled by various governments across the world, the US is the latest to oust nearly 60 officials tagged as Russian spies in an unprecedented response to a nerve agent attack.

At least 114 alleged agents working under diplomatic covers have been removed by 21 governments.

In a new blow to US-Russia ties, Washington on Monday ordered to expel 60 Russians in less than a week after the US President Donald Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin on his re-election.

Canada, Ukraine, Albania and most European Union states matched the move with smaller-scale expulsions after Britain urged allies to respond to the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal.

Russia, on the other hand, had been denying their involvement in the attempted assassination, which left Skripal and his daughter gravely ill in perhaps the first nerve agent attack in Europe since World War II. 

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Washington and its allies were acting "in response to Russia's use of a military-grade chemical weapon on the soil of the United Kingdom."

" The United States stands ready to cooperate to build a better relationship with Russia, but this can only happen with a change in the Russian government's behavior," Sanders said.