US orders Russia to close SF consulate

This Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 photo shows the roof of the Consulate-General of Russia in San Francisco. The United States is retaliating against Russia by forcing closure of its consulate in San Francisco and scaling back its diplomatic presence in Washington and New York. The State Department says move is in response to the Kremlin forcing a cut in U.S. diplomatic staff in Moscow. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

WASHINGTON — The United States has ordered Russia to shutter its San Francisco consulate and close offices in Washington and New York, intensifying tensions between the former Cold War foes. Washington gave Moscow 48 hours to comply.

The Trump administration describes its action as retaliation for the Kremlin’s “unwarranted and detrimental” demand earlier this month that the U.S. cut its diplomatic staff in Russia. But Moscow declared it a major escalation, with a top Russian lawmaker saying the move heralded “the hot phase of diplomatic war.”

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says, “The United States is prepared to take further action as necessary and as warranted.”

It was a harsh welcome to Washington for new Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov, who arrived on Thursday only hours after the U.S. announcement.

The newly arrived Russian ambassador has invoked Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in saying Moscow will carefully consider its response to the order to close its consulate in San Francisco and scale back operations in Washington and New York.

Russian news agencies quoted him as saying: “We have to act calmly and professionally. Speaking like Lenin, we don’t need hysterical impulses,” citing a Lenin maxim.