Russia preparing ‘tough response’ on U.S. decision to shut its consulate

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Moscow will prepare a “tough response” to the United States’ decision to shut its consulate in San Francisco.

The U.S. on Thursday ordered Russia to shut its San Francisco consulate and close offices in Washington and New York within 48 hours in response to Russia’s decision last month to cut U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia.

Speaking to students at Russia’s top diplomacy school on Friday Lavrov said Moscow “will have a tough response to the things that come totally out of the blue to hurt us and are driven solely by the desire to spoil our relations with the United States.”

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Earlier in the day, he said Moscow has yet to study the U.S. decision that came in late at night on Thursday to decide how to react.

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