Russia blasts U.S. expulsions

The Russians already expelled are accused of direct contact with alleged spy Robert Hanssen

In this story: Tit-for-tat expulsions Death Penalty RELATED STORIES, SITES

MOSCOW, Russia -- A senior Kremlin aide has accused Washington of "spy mania" after more than 40 Russian diplomats were ordered to leave the United States.

In the first official reaction from Moscow, President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy adviser, Sergei Prikhodko, said Russia deeply regretted the move.

"Any campaign of spy mania and searching for enemies brings deep regret," he said. "This is a fallback to the Cold War epoch."

Four of the diplomats, all from the Russian Embassy in Washington, are accused of involvement with alleged spy Robert Hanssen, an FBI veteran who was arrested in February.

IN-DEPTH SPECIAL The case against Robert Hanssen     MESSAGE BOARD Espionage case     AUDIO CNN's Steve Harrigan: Russian sources say adequate measures will follow 567K/52 sec. AIFF or WAV sound    VIDEO CNN's David Ensor reports on the diplomat reduction effort taken by the U.S. Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     ALSO Spy climate: Chilly, but not cold Other recent U.S. expulsions Recalled Russian diplomat said to be Hanssen handler Russia seeks talks with diplomat defector

Among them is Vladamir Frolov, the Russian Embassy press attaché, who according to U.S. intelligence sources was Hanssen's handler.

"The Department of State notified the Russian Embassy that four of its accredited diplomats have been declared persona non grata in the United States and should leave the country forthwith," spokesman Richard Boucher said.

Frolov has already left the country. Details of the whereabouts of the other three have yet to be released.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell summoned Russian Ambassador Yuri Ushakov to the State Department to inform him of the decision and of the plans to expel an additional 40 or more Russian diplomats in the future.

None of the other diplomats are thought to have any connection with the Hanssen affair.

It is the biggest diplomatic expulsion since 1986 when President Ronald Reagan ordered around 100 Soviet diplomats out of the U.S.

In an interview with CNN on Thursday former U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger described the number of Russians being asked to leave as "surprisingly large."

"I think the Hanssen case forced the administration to take a look at things and then decide that there were just too many of these people running around loose," he said

Tit-for-tat expulsions

According to intelligence sources, the move was a "house-cleaning decision" by the Bush administration, aimed at relieving the pressure on U.S. counter-intelligence resources.

The number of Russian spies in the U.S. is allegedly at Cold War levels, and U.S. agents are unable to keep track of them all.

CNN's Steve Harrigan, in Moscow, said unofficial sources have promised that Russia will respond with "adequate measures" to what they call the "extremely unfriendly" move.

Harrigan says that raises the possibility of tit-for-tat expulsions against U.S. diplomatic staff in Moscow.

U.S. ambassador James Collins held brief talks at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday but declined to comment as he left.

"Any comments will come from Washington or from the government here," he told reporters. The embassy insisted he was simply keeping a pre-arranged appointment.

Death Penalty

The Hanssen affair sent shockwaves through the U.S. intelligence community.

An FBI veteran of 25 years standing, he is accused of spying for the Soviet Union, and later Russia, over a period of 15 years.

Prosecutors and FBI officials say he was paid $1.4 million in cash and diamonds for passing top-secret information. He was arrested on February 18 in a northern Virginia park, moments after he dropped a package underneath a footbridge, prosecutors said.

Among other things, investigators believe he may have told Russians about a secret surveillance tunnel under the Soviet embassy -- now the Russian Embassy -- in Washington.

Hanssen is to appear at a preliminary hearing on May 21. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or life in prison.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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