Russia included US, Czech Republic in ‘unfriendly countries’ list

Russia has included the US and the Czech Republic in a list of countries that have been classified as "unfriendly", according to a document published on the nation's official legal information portal.

"To approve the attached list of foreign states committing unfriendly actions against Russia, citizens of Russia or Russian legal entities, against which countermeasures established by the decree of Russian President dated April 23, 2021, No. 243 ... shall be applied," the document published on Friday read.

According to the document, the diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic would be granted permission to hire 19 employees from Russia, while the US diplomatic mission is forbidden to hire locals, reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier in April, Putin signed a decree on countermeasures to "unfriendly actions" of foreign states amid an intensified diplomatic row with the United States and some European countries.

The government has since formed a list of foreign countries "committing unfriendly actions" toward the Russian Federation, Russian citizens or legal entities.

These countries will either receive a cap on the number of locally hired employees or be completely banned from employing Russian staff at their diplomatic missions.