U.S. Embassy in Moscow Reports Access Denial to Its Property

On Monday, August 1, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow accused Russian officials of preventing its staff from accessing a building located outside Moscow. According to Reuters, this denial of access occurred despite Russia having allowed embassy members access to the property until mid-Tuesday. The Russian Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to this news. The building, located in the northwest of Moscow, is leased by the U.S. Embassy for recreational purposes for its staff. Russia has stated that it will take retaliatory measures following the approval of new sanctions against Moscow. Reuters reported that one of its photographers observed five vehicles, including a truck with diplomatic plates, attempting to enter the site to collect belongings but was denied entry. This location is referred to as a 'dacha' in Russian. A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy stated, 'Following the notification from the Russian government, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Russia had access to the dacha until mid-day on August 1 (August 10).' He added, 'We had no access to this location today or yesterday. We refer you to the Russian government for clarification on this matter.' The Kremlin announced that the U.S. must reduce its staff by 60 percent, which includes 755 personnel. Reuters notes that U.S. embassy staff in Moscow were invited to a meeting on Monday where U.S. Ambassador John F. Tefft informed them about Russia's decision. This represents the most severe diplomatic tension between the two countries since the Cold War. One attendee, who wished to remain anonymous, remarked that 'the atmosphere of the meeting resembled a funeral.' Russian President Vladimir Putin requested on Sunday that the United States reduce its diplomatic staff in Moscow by 755 by September, and two of its buildings were also seized. He stated that this action is a response to the approval of a new round of U.S. congressional sanctions against Moscow. Mr. Putin added that no changes in relations between Moscow and Washington are expected 'in the near future.' Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, stated on Monday that this 755 includes Russian citizens, who make up a significant portion of the 1,200 staff at the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Moscow. The U.S. Senate passed a bill last Thursday with a decisive majority to tighten sanctions against Russia, a measure prepared in response to Russia's potential interference in last year's U.S. presidential election and its annexation of Crimea. Last December, during Barack Obama's presidency, the U.S. closed two Russian embassy residences and expelled 35 Russian diplomats. In this context, Putin called for the expulsion of 755 American diplomats from Russia, and Russia demanded access to its diplomatic facilities before negotiating with the U.S. The Russian response to the new sanctions was, 'The U.S. should reduce its number of diplomats.'