Russia expels 2 US diplomats, accusing them of ‘illegal activity’

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Foreign Ministry has declared two U.S. diplomats “persona non grata” and is ordering them to leave the country within seven days for alleged involvement in “illegal activity.” In a statement, the ministry says the first and second secretaries of the U.S. Embassy in Russia “kept in touch” with a former employee of the U.S. Consulate in the eastern city of Vladivostok who was arrested earlier this year. The ex-employee was accused of collecting information for U.S. diplomats about Russia’s military action in Ukraine and related issues.