U.S. expresses 'strong disappointment and protest' over Russia retaliation

Reuters
New U.S. ambassador to Russia John Tefft attends a ceremony to hand over credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, November 19, 2014. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Ambassador to Moscow, John Tefft, has "expressed his strong disappointment and protest" over Russia's decision to cut U.S. diplomatic staff in Moscow and seize a dacha compound and warehouse used by American diplomats, a State Department official said on Friday. Russia's moves came a day after the U.S. Senate voted to slap new sanctions on Russia, putting President Donald Trump in a tough position by forcing him to take a hard line against Moscow or veto the legislation and anger his own Republican Party. "We have received the Russian government notification," a State Department official said on condition of anonymity. "Ambassador Tefft expressed his strong disappointment and protest." (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Bernadette Baum)