US expels Russian diplomats from UN mission in New York

US mission to UN accuses Russian diplomats of espionage activities, but Moscow’s envoy slams move

March 2, 2022

12 Russian UN diplomats expelled from US for espionage activities

The US is expelling a Russian national who is working with the UN Secretariat, a United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. The US had announced the expulsion of 12 staff members of the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN.

Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the UN was informed that the US was taking action to expel a staff member working for the U.N. Secretariat, under the agreement between the United States and the United Nations for hosting the 193-member world body.

Dujarric said, “I can confirm that the US Mission to the United Nations informed the Secretariat on Feb 28 (of) its decision to take action under Section 13b of the UN-US Headquarters Agreement with respect to a staff member in the Secretariat.”

Refusing to provide any further details “in deference to the privacy of the individual concerned and the sensitivity of the matter”, he said, “We regret that we find ourselves in this situation, but are engaging with the host country in line with Section 13b of the agreement.” He said the US decision is strange as the work contract for the staff member concerned was scheduled to end on March 14.

In a statement, the US Permanent Mission to the United Nations described the 12 Russian diplomats as “intelligence operatives” who have abused their privileges of residency in the United States “by engaging in espionage activities“.

Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, on Monday regretted the US decision.

Nebenzia said the expulsion is a hostile step taken by the United States and “yet another gross violation” of the UN-US Headquarters Agreement and of the Vienna Convention.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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