Sergey Lavrov said the US was trying to turn Russians against their government MIKHAIL POCHUYEV/TASS/GETTY IMAGESThe US embassy in Moscow is to stop issuing visas to Russians, citing the cap on its personnel after it was ordered to cut two thirds of its diplomatic staff. Russia gave the US until September 1 to reduce its staff by 755 in retaliation for the approval of sanctions to punish Moscow for meddling in the presidential election last year. Referring to the “Russian government-imposed cap” on personnel, the embassy said it had no choice but to suspend issuing the non-immigrant visas that a quarter of a million Russians use to visit the US every year. The embassy said it would resume issuing visas in Moscow from September 1 but that the suspension would remain in place indefinitely at consulates in St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg…

Source: The Times August 21, 2017 23:03 UTC