The official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Maria Zakharov called the reason for the closure of the US Generalcondition in Yekaterinburg. This is stated in a message on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to the diplomat, “the American side itself, without any influence from the outside adopted a sovereign decision on the” freezing “of the work of this diplomatic mission, as well as the Consulate General in Vladivostok, which, of course, was negatively affected by the provision of consular services not only Citizens of Russia, but also to the Americans. ” At Smolensk Square, they consider to be unlawful to “seek to blame”, explaining this step introduced in Russia by the ban on the community of local staff.
Zakharova reminded that not Moscow, namely Washington began a long-lasting “visa war”, “illegally confiscated Russian diplomatic property in the United States, closing the CEO of Russia in Seattle and San Francisco, which was cut off from receiving consular services of the inhabitants of the entire west coast of the United States “.
About US decision to close your consulates in Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg became known on December 19. At the same time, the State Department explained that such measures are connected with the optimization of the work of American diplomsia. The consulate in Vladivostok was temporarily closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, and in Yekaterinburg, from April 1, he stopped issuing visas to Russians and serve American citizens.