Russia is already retaliating against new US sanctions leveled against the Kremlin for cyberattacks designed to interfere with the US presidential election.

In response to the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats who have been given three days to leave the US, Russia ordered the closure of the Anglo-American School of Moscow, CNN reported on Thursday, citing an unnamed US official with knowledge of the action.


The school serves the children of Western embassy personnel from the US, Canada, and Britain.Russia also ordered the closure of a US embassy vacation house, located about 16 kilometers west of Moscow, CNN reported.

A spokeswoman for Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, appeared to hint at the type of action Russia would take in an earlier statement, saying US actions against Russian diplomats in the US would receive a similar response that "will immediately backfire at US diplomats in Russia," Zakharova said.

"The outgoing US administration has not given up on its hope of dealing one last blow to relations with Russia, which it has already destroyed," her statement read, in part.


The Kremlin earlier said the US "will receive an answer" if it took new punitive actions against Russia. The Obama administration indicated shortly after the election that it would hold Russia accountable for cyberattacks that attempted to interfere with the US election process.