The Biden administration on Friday ordered two Russian diplomats expelled from the United States in retaliation for the expulsion of two US diplomats from Moscow last month.

In this regard, the Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said: "Washington provided no arguments for its decision to expel two Russian diplomats which does not do credit to American diplomacy and is, in fact, "banal revenge,"

"I can confirm that, a few days ago, the US authorities took another confrontational step to declare two diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., personae non gratae," he said. "Surprising here is the fact that our colleagues in the State Department when handing over the note on expulsion, assured us for some reason that they had no intention to publicize this story and share details with the media," he added.

Antonov also warned the US side of an appropriate response to any attempts on the part of employees of the US Embassy in Moscow to undermine Russian national security. "I would like to emphasize once again that the employees of the US Embassy in Moscow were found guilty of actions incompatible with diplomatic work.

The expelled Americans were essentially interfering in internal affairs and attempting to undermine Russia's national security. Any actions of this kind will be firmly suppressed and will receive an appropriate response," he warned.

The expulsions come at a time of animosity between Washington and Moscow over the war in Ukraine and as diplomatic relations have plummeted to their worst level since the Cold War.