WASHINGTON: Moscow?s expulsion on Thursday of 60 American diplomats was expected and marked a further deterioration in US-Russian relations, the White House said.

?Russia?s response was not unanticipated and the United States will deal with it,? the White House said in a statement.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday Moscow would expel 60 US diplomats and close its consulate in Saint Petersburg in a tit-for-tat expulsion over the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal.

Russia to expel 60 US diplomats, close a US consulate: Lavrov

'US ambassador informed of retaliatory measures'

Lavrov said the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures", saying that "they include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg".

Washington earlier ordered the expulsion of 60 diplomats and shut down the Russian consulate general in Seattle.