The United States will suspend procedures for issuing tourist visas in Russia, starting August 23. The procedure, as it relates
the Russian news agency "Tass" will resume from 28 September only in the US embassy in Moscow, and for an indefinite period of time. Washington's initiative comes in response to the Russian government's staff reduction on the US diplomatic mission in Moscow. Such restrictions should be maintained until the staff cuts are made effective, the US embassy said. The planning of departures and staff reductions has already begun to meet the deadline of September 455 set by the Russian government for staff reductions ”, reads a note published today by the US embassy in Moscow. The US embassy added that it will operate at reduced capacity until our staffing levels have decreased. The personnel changes will also affect the scheduling of a limited number of visa applications for immigrants, the diplomatic mission reported. On XNUMX July, the Moscow Foreign Ministry responded to the approval of the new US sanctions against Russia by reducing the total number of US diplomats in Russia to XNUMX people and banning the use of some properties. In the note communicating the reduction in the staff of the US diplomatic office, the Moscow ministry specified that it reserves the right to authorize other measures on the basis of the so-called "principle of reciprocity". The reduction requested by the Russian authorities, in fact, is in full compliance with the number of Russian diplomats and Russian technical personnel currently employed in the United States. Furthermore, the diplomatic headquarters were banned from using some deposits in Moscow and a dacha in Serebrian Bor, in the north-eastern area of Russia.