Both Nebenzia and US ambassador Nikki Haley were present.
Nebenzia refused said to name the 12 diplomats. “We don’t name those diplomats. We safeguard their privacy,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, Haley said her country has begun the process of “expelling 12 intelligence operatives from the Russian Mission to the UN who have abused their privilege of residence in the US”.
“After a review, we have determined that the 12 intelligence operatives engaged in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security. Our actions are consistent with the UN Headquarters Agreement,” said Haley in a press statement. Asked whether Washington’s decision was in accordance with the UN-US agreement on the UN Headquarters in New York, Nebenzia said: “I don’t think so.”
On March 4, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia suffered a chemical attack in Salisbury in Britain and were in a critical but stable condition in hospital. British officials identified the chemical as Novichok, a nerve agent developed by Russia during the Cold War.
Britain has expelled 23 Russian diplomats last week and Russia ordered retaliatory expulsions. Besides the US and Britain, European Council President Donald Tusk too announced that at least 14 European Union countries have decided to expel Russian diplomats
