31 December 2016, 08:38 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The press service told journalists that diplomats' children received the invitation during the Washington-Moscow flight, and it was announced by the plane's commander.
The special plane carrying back home Russian diplomats expelled from the United States landed in Moscow at 02:08 local time (23:08 GMT, Sunday).
On Thursday, US President Barack Obama's administration ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, the closure of two Russian diplomatic compounds and new sanctions against six Russian individuals and five entities over Moscow's alleged interference in the 2016 election.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Obama’s punitive measures were provocations aimed at further undermining of US-Russian relations and announced later his decision not to expel US diplomats from Russia. US President-elect Donald Trump in a Twitter message praised Putin’s call as a "great move."
