The move comes one day before Moscow's deadline for US personnel to leave their positions and will take effect Saturday. "The United States has fully implemented the decision by the Government of the Russian Federation to reduce the size of our mission in Russia," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement announcing the decision. "We believe this action was unwarranted and detrimental to the overall relationship between our countries." "In the spirit of parity invoked by the Russians," she continued, "we are requiring the Russian government to close its Consulate General in San Francisco, a chancery annex in Washington, DC, and a consular annex in New York City." Nauert also noted the United States was allowing Russia to maintain additional annexes "in an effort to arrest the downward spiral in our relationship," but was "prepared to take further action as necessary and as warranted."

Source: CNN August 31, 2017 16:47 UTC