“Time Is Running Out”: Russia Warns It May Expel “35 CIA Spies” In Retaliation

Repeating what Russian diplomats said informally at the start of the week, the Russian foreign ministry said on Friday that “too many American spies operated in Moscow” under diplomatic cover and warned it might expel some of them to retaliate against Washington’s December 2016 expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats. The warning, delivered by Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, reflects the growing frustration in Moscow over the Trump administration’s refusal to hand back two Russian diplomatic compounds which were seized at the same time as the Russian diplomats were sent home.