Aircraft Carrying Expelled Russian Diplomats Departs Washington DC

The Russian embassy in the United States announced earlier that two specially-chartered aircraft of the Russian 'Rossiya' federal air fleet had landed in Washington DC to pick up the diplomats and their families. The head of the Russian diplomatic mission to the US, Anatoly Antonov, reportedly accompanied the expelled diplomats to the airport. No incidents during the compulsory departure of his colleagues were reported.

Посол А.И.Антонов проводил коллег и членов их семей, которые покидают сегодня США по решению американской стороны.
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Ambassador Anatoly Antonov bids his farewell to our colleagues and their family members, who are leaving the American soil today due to a US decision. pic.twitter.com/DJaFfB2zJY
— Пос-во России🇷🇺 в США (@RussiaInUSA) 31 марта 2018 г.

Earlier in the day, Antonov said that the Skripal case was a pretext to carry out a war of words against Russia that has been planned for a long period of time.

Russian Envoy to US: Skripal Case Pretext to Launch Long-Planned Smear Campaign

31 March 2018, 22:29 GMT

On Monday, the administration of US President Donald Trump expelled 60 Russian diplomats - along with their families - and closed the Russian Consulate General in Seattle, Washington, after Sergei Skripal - a former Russian spy who worked for UK intelligence - and his daughter Yulia were exposed to what UK experts claim was an A234 nerve agent.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, in response, announced the expulsion of 58 US diplomatic staff from the US embassy in Moscow alongside two employees from the US Consulate General in Yekaterinburg, and the closure of the US Consulate General in the northern Russian city of St. Petersburg.