The United States was to formally notify Russia today of its decision to expel six diplomats in retaliation for the case of Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent recently arrested on suspicion of spying for Moscow, US officials said.
Russia's Ambassador to the US Mr Yuri Ushakov was to be summoned to the State Department to hear details of the decision to declare the six diplomats "personae non-grata" over the Hanssen affair and to order the departure of as many as 50 other diplomats due to long-standing concerns about the large Russian intelligence presence here, they said.
A White House statement confirming the expulsions was expected around 14.30 GMT.
Mr Ushakov - who was given an outline of the decision by Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday - was due at the State Department later today.
AFP