Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly AntonovPETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, Apr 24 Russian Embassy in Washington DC blocked by the US authorities, head of the diplomatic mission Anatoly Antonov said on the air of the Russia 1 TV channel. «In fact, the embassy is under blockade by US government agencies, the accounts of our two consulates general in Houston and New York were closed by Bank of America. We receive threats both by telephone and letters. <…> At one time, even the exit from the embassy was blocked,» he said. embassies and denied visas to new ones. As a result, the staff of the Russian diplomatic mission has been greatly reduced: for example, two people remained in the consulate in Houston, and five in New York. In April last year, Washington once again expanded anti-Russian sanctions and expelled 10 diplomats. Russia, in response, included the United States in the list of unfriendly countries, which, in particular, are prohibited from hiring Russians and third-country nationals in embassies. The American diplomatic mission stated that it would have to significantly reduce the staff, so it would not be able to provide consular services in full. Since mid-May, Russians have stopped issuing non-immigrant visas.
