The U.S. Department of State announced the expulsion of the second most senior Russian diplomat in Washington, in response to Russia's expulsion of the second American diplomat in Moscow earlier this month.

An American diplomatic source confirmed that the expulsion is not related to the "Russian invasion of Ukraine and is part of a long-standing dispute between Washington and Moscow over embassy staff; however, it comes at a time when tensions between the two capitals have reached their highest levels since the Cold War due to Ukraine."

The official said the Department of State informed the Russian embassy on Wednesday that it would expel Minister-Counselor Sergey Trepelkov, who is currently the "number 2" in the mission under Ambassador Anatoly Antonov.

Russia expelled the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S., Bart Gorman, from Moscow in mid-February.

The official stated that this step was taken "as a direct response to the unjustified Russian expulsion of our Deputy Chief of Mission."

Despite the deterioration of relations over the current situation in Ukraine, the official said that the United States still believes it is important to maintain diplomatic communications "to facilitate dialogue between our governments," but added that actions like the expulsion of Gorman "will not go unanswered."