Russian Foreign Ministry: three people from the US embassy involved in theft have decided to leave t

Original title: Russian Foreign Ministry: three people from the US embassy involved in theft have decided to leave the country, but the bag has not been returned
(Observer News) recently, three more people from the US embassy in Russia were investigated for theft. This time, they stole the backpacks of Russian citizens. The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a diplomatic note on the matter, asking the United States to cancel the diplomatic immunity of the three people, otherwise they need to leave the country immediately.
According to Tass News Agency on the 9th, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman zaharova said on the same day that the three people involved had made a choice and would leave Russia in the near future. But she revealed that so far, the three have not returned the backpack to the owner.

Screenshot of TASS Report
“ As the three suspects are staff members of the US embassy (in Russia), they enjoy diplomatic immunity& rdquo; In an interview with local media on the 9th, zaharova said that the Russian Foreign Ministry had sent a diplomatic note to the U.S. Embassy asking for the cancellation of the diplomatic immunity of the three people.
Zaharova said that the three involved faced two choices: either accept judicial trial in Russia or leave Russia immediately. As far as she knows, & ldquo; They chose the latter & rdquo;.
However, according to zaharova, up to now, the three have not returned the backpack to the owner.
She said: & ldquo; Obviously, the contents of the backpack aroused their interest& rdquo;
The theft mentioned by zaharova occurred in a Moscow bar on September 18, when the three people involved were drunk.
On October 8, the Information Department of the Moscow Ministry of the interior told the media that it had previously received complaints about the theft of backpacks.
Vladimir vasenin, a spokesman for the Moscow Ministry of the interior, said a surveillance video captured the incident. The video shows that three U.S. Marines aged between 21 and 26 stole the client's backpack.


Three US embassy staff involved, video screenshot
The theft caused losses worth 15000 rubles (about 1344 yuan) and has been put on criminal record. According to Russian law, three persons can be sentenced to up to five years' imprisonment.
Although the Russian side insisted that this was a criminal case, the western media linked the matter to the continued tense US Russian relations.
As early as March this year, Biden called Putin & ldquo; Killer & rdquo; After that, relations between the two countries deteriorated and recalled ambassadors to each other. Subsequently, the two countries set off another round of & ldquo; Diplomatic warfare;.
Recently, several US Congressmen, including Republican Senator Rubio, suggested that the US government expel 300 Russian diplomats. In this regard, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned that this would only lead Russia to close all U.S. embassies and consulates in Russia.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first case of theft by US diplomats in Russia.
In July this year, a witness photographed a man stealing railway sign facilities near the Russian capital. The man was later confirmed to be a staff member of the U.S. embassy. After being issued a diplomatic note by the Russian Ministry of foreign affairs, the personnel involved were recalled to the United States.