Russia shutters its mission to NATO in retaliation for expulsion of its diplomats

MOSCOW — Russia is shuttering its permanent mission to NATO and suspending the alliance's liaison office in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday, further fraying the relationship between the organization and the Kremlin.

Moscow’s move comes less than two weeks after NATO expelled eight members of the Russian delegation, accusing them of working as undercover spies. NATO’s early October move also cut the maximum size of the Russian delegation in half.