Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that 755 staff must leave U.S. diplomatic missions, in retaliation for new U.S. sanctions against Moscow.

The decision to expel staff was made on Friday, but Mr Putin has now confirmed the number who must go by 1 September.
It brings staff levels to 455, the same as Russia’s complement in Washington.

The BBC’s Sarah Rainsford in Moscow said the number includes Russian employees of the U.S. diplomatic missions across Russia.

Staff in the embassy in Moscow as well as the consulates in Ekaterinburg, Vladivostok and St. Petersburg are affected.

Mr Putin did strike a conciliatory note, saying he did not want to impose more measures, but also said he could not see ties changing “anytime soon”.

Mr Putin told Russian television: “more than 1,000 people were working and are still working” at the U.S. embassy and consulates, and that “755 people must stop their activities in Russia.”