MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. Moscow has issued a note of protest to Washington over violations of international law with respect to Russia’s diplomatic missions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
"In connection with persisting gross violations of international law by the US with respect to the Russian diplomatic and consular missions in the US, the Russian Foreign Ministry lodged strong protest to the US Department of State sending a corresponding note through diplomatic channels," the ministry said.
"The UN’s attention has been drawn to the situation whose consequences extend far beyond Russian-American bilateral relations and affect the interests of the entire international community. On May 18, Russia’s message to this effect was handed over to the organization’s secretary general to prepare a report for the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly," the Russian Foreign Ministry added.
On September 2, 2017, the US authorities closed down the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco and the trade mission in Washington, which are owned by the Russian government and enjoy diplomatic immunity, and the New York branch of the trade mission, which Russia had been renting, as part of anti-Russian sanctions. Moscow described Washington's motion as an overtly hostile act and urged the US authorities to turn them back immediately. On March 26, 2018, Washington announced the closure of Russia’s Consulate General in Seattle (the building was rented by Russia) and the consul general’s residence (Russia’s diplomatic property).
Speaking at a news conference in Xiamen, China, after the BRICS summit on September 5, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would instruct Russia’s Foreign Ministry to file a lawsuit in a US court because of the seizure of Russia’s diplomatic property.
