Vue de la chambre nombre de la propriété, qui a été loué par l'ambassade des États-Unis à Moscou pour son personnel diplomatique d'utiliser pour les loisirs, sur la outski
View of the house number of the property, which was leased by the U.S. embassy in Moscow for its diplomatic staff to use for recreation, on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, 1 August 2017. The U.S. embassy in Moscow accused Russian authorities on Monday (31 July 2017) of barring diplomatic staff from a property on the outskirts of Moscow, after having earlier agreed to grant access until midday on Tuesday for them to retrieve belongings. A Russian foreign ministry official, quoted by state news agency RIA, said the U.S. embassy had sent in its trucks without first obtaining permits which, the official said, are required by law because the property is in a conservation area. The property, in a picturesque spot on a bend in the Moskva river northwest of the capital, is leased by the U.S. embassy for its staff to use for recreation. Moscow has said it is taking it back as part of retaliatory measures after Washington approved a fresh round of sanctions against Russia. A Reuters TV cameraman outside the country residence, known in Russian as a dacha, saw five vehicles with diplomatic license plates, including a truck, arrive at the site. He said they were denied entry. An embassy spokeswoman said: "In line with the Russian government notification, the U.S. Mission to Russia was supposed to have access to our dacha until noon on Aug. 1. "We have not had access all day today or yesterday, " she said. "We refer you to the Russian government to explain why not."