The Embassy of Russia in the US has strongly condemned the removal of Russian flags from previously seized diplomatic compounds and which the State Department claims were "respectfully lowered" and "safely stored" within the properties, Russia Today reported Thursday. 

The Russian Mission to the US released photos of the closed diplomatic facility without Russian state flags Wednesday.

"A strong objection was sent to the American side in the wake of the removal of Russian flags from the diplomatic property in San Francisco, controlled by the US authorities. We perceive it as an extremely unfriendly move. We demand [the US] immediately returns the Russian state symbols to their place and prevents such incidents in the future," the Russian embassy said in a statement on Facebook.

"The flags at the former Russian consular properties in San Francisco were respectfully lowered and are safely stored within each of the buildings," a State Department official told Sputnik Wednesday. "The flag at the former Russian Washington, DC property was also taken down and is safely stored within the building."

The removal of the flags is the latest twist in the ongoing diplomatic row between Russia and the US.

Source: MENA