Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to attend the military parade during the Navy Day celebration in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Sunday, July 30, 2017. The reductions, reminiscent of massive Cold War-era expulsions of diplomats, follow stiff, new sanctions against Russia approved by the U.S. Congress. Russian and U.S. diplomats have discussed the issue for months but failed to reach an agreement. Putin finally decided to respond following an overwhelming approval of a new package of anti-Russian sanctions by the U.S. Congress. It’s the harshest retaliatory exchange since 1986, when the United States and the Soviet Union expelled dozens of diplomats.

Source: Washington Post July 31, 2017 15:33 UTC