Moscow announced the expulsion of two US diplomats accused of serving as “liaison” agents for a Russian former official arrested earlier this year and suspected of passing information to Washington regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine.

At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned the US ambassador in Moscow to explain the case.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two diplomats who were declared personae non grata served as the first and second secretaries of the US Embassy in Moscow. They are Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein.

“They are obliged to leave Russian territory within seven days,” the Russian ministry said in its statement.