Russia poised to expel US diplomats amid sanctions row

Officials in Russia have warned that they are planning to expel dozens of US diplomats and seize state property as the row over sanctions escalates.

According to the daily broadsheet Izvestia, the Kremlin is considering retaliatory measures to the ones that were imposed on Russian officials in December.

Around 30 US diplomats could be expelled from Russia and intelligence compounds and offices may be closed.

Sanctions increased in 2016 in the wake of the alleged Russian hacking on the DNC and attempts to intervene in the presidential election.

These sanctions have included the closure of diplomatic compounds in the US as well as the freezing of assets belonging to Russian businessmen, particularly those close to the Kremlin.

Responding to the 2016 election interference, Barack Obama ordered the closure of two diplomatic compounds as well as the expulsion of officials.

After meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin expressed an interest in improving relations.

But this new move by Russia will only add more cracks to the already fragile relationship.

It is thought that Russia could seize a US government dacha at Serebryany Bor, northwest of Moscow, as well as a US warehouse in the capital.

Later this month, a meeting will take place between the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon with the hope of reaching a compromise.

A series of investigations by the FBI, congressional committees and the DOJ have been the main talking point ever since the 2016 election, and these have ramped up in recent months.

The DOJ, now guided by a special counsel, is looking into the ties between the Trump campaign, Russia and any possible cover-up.

The senate intelligence committees are investigating possible Russian intervention into the 2016 election.

The Senate Judiciary Committee and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are looking into former national security adviser Michael Flynn as well as the firing of former FBI chief James Comey.

Despite the departure of Comey, who believed that he was fired because of the FBI investigation into Trump's ties to Russia, the bureau is continuing to dig deeper into and possible collusion.