Russia sends plane to ferry its 35 expelled diplomats and families out of U.S

The Russian government will send a plane to ferry its diplomats out of the U.S., after President Obama expelled them in a new round of sanctions against the country for its alleged meddling in the presidential election.  

On Thursday Dec 29,2016, the president labeled 35 Russian diplomats from the country's embassy in Washington, DC and consulate in San Francisco 'persona non grata' - giving them 72 hours to get out of the country.  

Previous reports stated that some of the diplomats were having a hard time booking travel out of the U.S. at the last minute and during the holiday season.  

The Kremlin addressed the issue on Friday Dec 30,2016, saying they would be sending a plane to the U.S. to pick up these expelled diplomats and their families, ensuring that they are out of the country by Obama's New Year's Day deadline.

In their announcement on Twitter, the Kremlin included a picture of the Rossiya Special Flight Squadron aircraft that will be sent to the U.S.

The plane, an Ilyushin Il-96, is part of the fleet of aircraft which ferry Putin, his ministers and senior politicians around Russia and beyond.