Russian envoy to US claims embassy being blockaded amidst face-off over Ukraine war

Diplomatic tensions between the United States and Russia intensified ever since the onset of the Ukraine war with the US responding to the unprovoked military offensive by imposing stringent embargoes on the Kremlin and deploying military aid to the ex-Soviet state. Now, the Russian Ambassador of the United States, Anatoly Antonov has claimed that the work of the Russian Embassy in Washington is being blocked by the US authorities. As per the reports of Sputnik, Antonov stated that the embassy is under siege from US federal agencies, with Bank of America closing the accounts of two of their general consulates in Houston and New York.

The Russian Ambassador also claimed that threats were made to them over the phone and through the mail. For Kremlin's activities in Ukraine, the United States, alongside G7 nations and the European Union (EU), has placed severe financial sanctions on Russia. Long before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24, Russia and the United States were at loggerheads over the functioning of their respective diplomatic offices.

US not in talks with Russia on removing Western sanctions

On Thursday, US Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh stated that Washington is not in talks with Russia over the possibility of pulling Western sanctions against Moscow. Singh remarked during a virtual panel discussion with the Bretton Woods Committee that they have channels of communication that are still open, however, they are not at the point where they are talking about sanctions relaxation, according to Sputnik. He also noted that the Western sanctions will have a significant impact on Russia's supply lines and productive capacity, especially the military-industrial complex.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price, meanwhile, said that the US State Department is considering identifying Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. He stated that they are looking at the facts closely and that they are looking into the law right now. He further said that they will use whatever authority available to them under the law if it is effective and appropriate.

Russia places sanctions on several Americans

In the meantime, Russia has placed sanctions on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, US Vice President Kamala Harris, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, and 26 other Americans, according to local media reports. Russian Foreign Ministry stated that business leaders, lawmakers, scientists and journalists will also be denied entry to the Russian Federation on an indefinite basis.

(Inputs from ANI)