US: Russian Consulate in New York downsized to 5 employees over Washington's visa policy

The Russian Consulate General in New York is left with only five employees for the first time in history, with the mission having been shrunk by more than half last month, Sputnik reported. Consul General of the Russian Federation in New York, Sergey Ovsyannikov blamed the United States' policy for the reduced number of staffers. "We are left with only four employees (not counting the consul). Five families left in the month of January and a total of four people are remaining now," he told Sputnik news agency.

Ovsyannikov further stated that there is no security officer in the Consulate General for the first time, which is an egregious fact. However, the diplomat assured that the mission will continue to carry out its responsibilities to the fullest extent possible. Ovsyannikov also remarked that since the US has been rejecting a visa to the successor of the Russian consul general in New York for nearly a year, it is highly possible that the mission will be left without a Consul in the coming days. "Anatoly Kargapolov does not have a visa as of now and he has been waiting for this for almost a year but to no avail," he added, as per Sputnik. 

Over 50 diplomats & their families to leave the US by mid-2022: Official

As per the report, Kargapolov was supposed to replace Ovsyannikov as Counsul General in New York in May last year. Last year in the month of November, Russia's ambassador to Washington warned that more than 50 diplomats and their families will be required to leave the US by mid-2022 amid growing tensions between Moscow and Washington. "Our diplomats are being thrown out. We are facing severe staff shortages," Ambassador Anatoly Antonov told Russian state media, as per Bloomberg. 

Russia, US feuding over number of diplomats stationed at each other's embassies

With US-Russian ties at an all-time low, the two countries have been bickering over the number of diplomats stationed at each other's embassies. Russia barred the US from employing its citizens in April last year, forcing the embassy in Moscow to slash consular staff by 75% and cease most visa services. After the visas of 24 Russian diplomats expired in September 2021, the US compelled them to leave the country, and only provided visas to 10 other Russian diplomats to replace them, Bloomberg stated citing the Russian Foreign Ministry. 

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