It Begins: Russia to expel same number of diplomats as U.S.

Russia announced on Thursday that it would move to expel the same number of diplomats from the U.S. and other countries that booted Russian officials from diplomatic postings in recent days.

The move marks the latest escalation in a diplomatic showdown between Russia and a number of other countries following the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the United Kingdom. Western officials have blamed Moscow for that attack, though the Kremlin has denied those allegations.