Shortly before he left office, President Obama ordered the seizure of two Russian compounds and expelled 35 diplomats for spying

He was responding to Russian interference in the presidential election

President Donald Trump's administration is moving toward handing back the compounds

Russia has threatened to respond in kind, but has also said it appreciates the 'difficult internal political situation'

Russia's embassy in Washington has been trolling the U.S. with quotes about property rights and fishing pictures of the compound on the Chesapeake Bay

The Trump administration is moving to return two compounds seized from the Russians in retaliation for election interference, in a move that would yield to pressure by Moscow even as Russia probes continue.

President Obama ordered the compounds to be seized in December in the final days of his administration as retaliation for Russia's 'malicious activity' following the Intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered in the U.S. elections.

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He said they had been used for intelligence purposes, and kicked out 35 Russian 'intelligence operatives.'

Now, even as the FBI is investigating contacts between his campaign and Russia, Trump is moving toward returning the compounds, the Washington Post reported.

The move comes from persistent pressure from Moscow, who has raised the issue in public while engaging in persistent needling online through its embassy in Washington.

One compound is on Long Island, the other is on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The other is in Oyster Bay on Long Island.

Last month, the administration linked the return of the compounds to a Russian stoppage of U.S. construction of a consulate in St. Petersburg.

The Post reported that Tillerson told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at a meeting in D.C. that the U.S. was no longer linking the two issues, the Post reported, citing people knowledgable with the subject.

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The Elmcroft estate (pictured above on Friday) located in the village of Upper Brookville in the town of Oyster Bay, was originally purchased by the Soviet Union in the 1950s Russian 'spy compounds' shut down by Obama over election meddling are set to be handed back to Moscow diplomats by Trump administration

The Russian government-owned compound in Centreville, Maryland is seen above Russian 'spy compounds' shut down by Obama over election meddling are set to be handed back to Moscow diplomats by Trump administration

Lavrov was in town for the same visit where he met Trump in the Oval Office with Kislyak. Moscow then caused a headache for the administration by releasing smiling photos of the encounter.

State Department and White House officials provided no immediate comment.

When he ordered the seizure of the compounds, Obama said: 'Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election. These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behavior.'

Obama continued: 'All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions. In October, my Administration publicized our assessment that Russia took actions intended to interfere with the U.S. election process. These data theft and disclosure activities could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government. Moreover, our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the last year. Such activities have consequences. Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response.'

A car drives past Killenworth, an estate built in 1913 for George du Pont Pratt and purchased by the former Soviet Union in 1951, in Glen Cove, New York, on December 30, 2016.

Killenworth is one of two Russian compounds on the North Shore of Long Island with Norwich House, in Upper Brookville, being closed to Russian officials as part of the sanctions ordered by US President Barack Obama in retaliation for suspected Russian hacking during the US elections

Killenworth, an estate built in 1913 for George du Pont Pratt and purchased by the former Soviet Union in 1951 , is seen in Glen Cove, New York

President Donald Trump (L) of the United States and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House. Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOVING-OUT DAY: A convoy of diplomatic vehicles leave a Russian owned compound, after President Barack Obama abruptly ordered the compound closed on Thursday, in Centreville, Maryland, U.S., December 30, 2016

The Russians have continued to push for the return of the compounds

The Russians have continued to push for the return of the compounds

The Russian compound in Maryland is just a short drive from Washington. The Obama administration said it was used for spying

The Russians have pushed for the return of the compounds.

Last week, the embassy in D.C. tweeted that 'Russia is seeking to return its diplomatic property in #US asap,' and included an American flag emoji, including a photo that appears to be from within the compound showing a Russian sailors clinking beer glasses.

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Another tweet from February showed a photo of the '#diplodacha' with a picture of fishing rods on the Bay.

An embassy tweet from Wednesday quoted John Adams on property rights, from his Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States.

'The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence,' went the Adams quote.

The Maryland property is a luxurious, 45-acre compound that is located in Pioneer Point, according to The Washington Post reported at the time it got seized.

It is believed to have been used as a vacation spot for Russian diplomats looking to get away, though there have long been suspicions it was used for much more nefarious means as well.

The compound is believed to have been a center for espionage.

There have been suspicions about the property since it was bought by the Soviet government in 1972.

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The sprawling property hosts a brick mansion that has now been converted into 12 apartments, as well as a dozen cottages, each with four apartments. In total, the compound can accommodate 40 families at a time.