Russia summons US ambassador, declares two embassy staff ‘persona non grata’

Moscow, SANA – Russia said on Thursday that The US ambassador Lynne M. Tracy was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

The ambassador was informed about the two American diplomats, embassy first secretary Jeffrey Sillin and second secretary David Bernstein, being declared as “persona non-grata” and having to leave the country within 7 days, according to the ministry.

The named people conducted illegal activity, maintaining contact with Robert Shonov, accused of ‘confidential cooperation’ with a foreign state,” the ministry said.