Russia has announced plans to expel 35 US diplomats in a tit-for-tat response after the same number of its officials were expelled by Washington.

Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov described America's actions as "stunts" and dismissed the notion that two Russian compounds in the US that are to be shut down are "nests of spies".

He said the foreign ministry has requested that President Vladimir Putin declare 31 employees of the US embassy in Moscow and four diplomats at its consulate in St Petersburg as "persona non grata".

The US on Thursday ordered officials at the Russian embassy in Washington and consulate in San Francisco to leave the country within 72 hours.

Its measures also included sanctions against Russia's GRU and FSB intelligence services and the release of FBI wanted posters of alleged Russian hackers.


President Barack Obama took action after Russia was blamed for cyber attacks that disrupted the US presidential election and was also accused of harrassing US diplomats.

Russia says the claims are unfounded.

Image: An FBI wanted poster of an alleged Russian hacker

Mr Lavrov, announcing retaliatory plans, said: "We of course cannot leave these stunts unanswered."

Russia's foreign ministry is also seeking to ban diplomats from using a holiday home in western Moscow and a warehouse in the north of the city, after the US said it would shut down Russian compounds in New York and Maryland.

Mr Lavrov said these compounds were used for children's holidays and ridiculed the idea that they were "nests of spies".

Russia had warned that the US measures could "destroy" relations between the two countries and unleashed a barrage of colourful rhetoric.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called them the "anti-Russian death throes" of the outgoing leadership.

The Russian embassy in the UK tweeted that "everybody, incl (the American) people, will be glad to see the last of this hapless Adm" together with a picture of a "lame duck".

President Obama expels 35 🇷🇺 diplomats in Cold War deja vu. As everybody, incl 🇺🇸 people, will be glad to see the last of this hapless Adm. pic.twitter.com/mleqA16H8D — Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) December 29, 2016

But plans for retaliation are complicated by the imminent arrival in the Oval Office of Donald Trump - who has adopted a much less hostile tone on Russia.

The Kremlin has said that, with Obama only in office for three more weeks, it would refrain from acting like a "bull in a china shop".

President Obama said in a statement announcing the measures against Russia that they were a "necessary and appropriate response" after repeated warnings to Russia over "efforts to harm US interests".

He said the alleged hacking "could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government", adding: "All Americans should be alarmed by Russia's actions."

Image: The Kremlin said the sanctions would destroy US-Russian diplomatic relations

Mr Trump, who has been dismissive about the hacking claims against Russia, issued a statement saying it was "time for our country to move on to bigger and better things".

However, he said he would meet intelligence officials next week to be "updated on the facts".

Mr Trump will be able to reverse Mr Obama's actions when he takes office, should he wish.