Russia shuts down American School of Moscow in retaliation of US sanctions

New York: Russia has ordered the closure of the American School of Moscow in retaliation of US sanctions.

This comes after the United States on Thursday ordered 35 Russian diplomats in Washington and San Francisco to leave the country in the next 72 hours as a retaliatory measure against Russian election hack.

The order from the Russian Government closes the school, which serves children of US, British and Canadian embassy personnel, to US and foreign nationals, reports the CNN.

The order also closes access to the US embassy vacation house in Serebryany Bor, near Moscow.

The US administration described Russia's involvement as "Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities" and sanctioned four Russian individuals and five Russian entities for what it said was election interference.

However, Russian officials including President Vladimir Putin have denied all allegations regarding meddling in the U.S. presidential election.

Meanwhile a Russian Foreign Ministry official called the U.S. sanctions over cyber-hacking counterproductive, saying it will harm restoration of ties.

Russian spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said about the Obama administration, "It's not an administration; it's a group of foreign policy losers, angry and ignorant."