The spokeswoman noted that the information campaign in the US media is directed not only against the Russian diplomats, but against Russia in general.
“This applies not only to Kislyak, but to all of us, because he represents not himself and not only the Russian Foreign Ministry there, he represents our country,” Zakharova told the broadcaster.
Kislyak has been Russia’s ambassador to the United States since July 2008. For a long time, the ambassador has been portrayed in the media as a tool for spreading the Russian influence. Such US media outlets as The New York Times and The Washington Post, have repeatedly released information, citing sources, about alleged links between US President Donald Trump and people from his campaign team and Russian officials such as Kislyak.
The Russian officials have denied the allegations of meddling in the US election and the White House had also reaffirmed that there were no proof for allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign and Moscow during the election.
US President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned in February after it was revealed that he did not fully disclose the contents of his communications with Kislyak to US Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials.
In May, a source told Sputnik that Russian State Duma’s International Affairs Committee supported Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly Antonov as a candidate for the post of Russia’s ambassador in Washington replacing Kislyak.
