US ambassador to leave Moscow as tensions rise

John Sullivan's departure will leave both countries' embassies without their top diplomats at key moment

Washington's ambassador to Moscow has announced that he will return to the US for consultations, days after the Russian government recommended he leave the country during what it said was an extremely tense situation".

John Sullivan's departure will leave both countries' embassies without their top diplomats at a crucial moment, with Washington and Moscow recently announcing new sanctions, a Russian military buildup near Ukraine, and concerns about the opposition leader Alexei Navalny's health while in detention.