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State Dept to Putin After Lawsuit Threat: 'Welcome to the American Legal System'

© AP Photo / Alex BrandonThe seal of the US Department of State
The seal of the US Department of State - Sputnik International
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State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert welcomed Vladimir Putin to the US legal system.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert in a press briefing on Thursday said she welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the US legal system after he ordered the filing of a lawsuit over the closure of diplomatic properties in the United States.

"Welcome to the American legal system. Mr. Putin has apparently met the legal system… in the United States," Nauert told reporters.

The spokesperson also noted that FBI did not take part in searches of Russian diplomatic facilities.

"The FBI was not involved…in those searches, that was diplomatic security agents. They are part of the State Department, they are trained federal agents," Nauert told reporters.

On September 2, the United States shut down Russia's Consulate General in San Francisco and trade missions in New York City and in Washington, DC.

This photo taken on May 7, 2013 shows Russian and the US flags running up as the US Secretary of State arrives at Moscow Vnukovo Airport - Sputnik International
Russia Unlikely to See Justice in US Courts Over Diplomatic Property Dispute
US officials said the move came in response to Moscow's decision in late July to reduce the number of US diplomatic staff in Russia to 455 people, the same number of diplomatic personnel Russia has in the United States.

Russia order the reduction after former US President Barack Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats and seized two Russian diplomatic compounds over Moscow's alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election in the United States.

Russia has repeatedly denied the allegations it meddles in the US elections, characterizing them as absurd and intended to deflect public attention from actual instances of election fraud and corruption as well as other pressing concerns.

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