Russia Blocks Use of Moscow Warehouses By US Embassy

Russia is blocking the use of all its warehouses by the US Embassy following the US Senate’s approval of a new set of sanctions targeting Moscow's energy, defense, and intelligence sectors on Thursday.

"The Russian side is suspending as of August 1 the use by the US embassy in Russia of all warehouses on the Dorozhnaya Street in Moscow and the dacha compound in Serebryanyy Bor," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also offered the United States to limit the number of its diplomats in Russia to 455 people.

"We are offering to the US side to bring the numbers of US diplomatic and technical staff working in the US embassy in Moscow, in general consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok to reflect the exact number of Russian diplomats and technical staff who are in the United States. This means that the total number of employees in US diplomatic and consular agencies in Russia will be cut to 455," the statement says.

The sanctions express an "extra-cynical" view of Washington-Moscow relations, Russian President Vladimir Putin said ahead of the Thursday vote, Sputnik reports.

Trump now has 10 days, excluding Sundays, to decide whether to sign the bill into law or veto the legislation.

"The new bill seeks to create unfair competitive advantages for the US in the global economy via political tools," the ministry added.

The bill has already prompted criticism within the European Union. The EU warned it would respond to Washington with its own set of measures because "the US bill could have unintended unilateral effects that impact the EU’s energy security interests," President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday.