Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced Thursday that Moscow is expelling 60 U.S. diplomats
The US had earlier ordered the expulsion of 60 diplomats and closed the Russian consulate general in Seattle.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov met with U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman and handed him a note of protest against the "revolting and groundless" demands from the U.S. authorities for 60 Russian diplomats to leave the country, the Foreign Ministry said on its website.
The U.K. and others have accused the Kremlin of bearing responsibility for the poisoning of Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, using what they say was a military grade nerve agent produced by Russian Federation.
Russian news agencies quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying that Moscow would eject the same number of diplomats as the Russian envoys other countries had kicked out in response to the nerve-agent attack, which Russia denies it was behind.
Two dozen countries, including the USA, many European Union nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain.
Russian Federation has also been anxious that US President Donald Trump is planning military action against the Syrian Government over accusations of chemical weapons use during the country's long-running conflict. But Russia has denied involvement, accusing the United Kingdom and the US of using the attack as part of a campaign to smear Moscow.
British counter-terrorism police said they believed the military-grade nerve agent that poisoned the Skripals had been left on the front door of Sergei Skripal's home, on a quiet street in Salisbury, southern England.
Shortly afterwards, the Russian foreign ministry declared 58 USA diplomats in Moscow and two in the city of Yekaterinburg to be "persona non grata", the Interfax news agency reported.
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His 33-year-old daughter was also in a critical condition, though the English hospital where she was being treated said her condition had improved.
Lavrov said the same approach will be applied to other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week. The U.S. operates other consulates in Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok, they were untouched.
Mr. Lavrov vowed at the briefing in Moscow that "we want to establish the truth" over the poisoning and accused Britain of "making mockery of global law".
Lavrov said that Moscow called a meeting Wednesday of the secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to discuss the case.
"She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day", said Blanshard.
Mr Skripal, 66, remains in critical condition, the hospital said.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Britain's allegation is a "swindle" and an "international provocation".
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