Putin decides against tit-for-tat by expelling US diplomats

Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to engage in tit-for-tat in retaliation for the Obama administration’s decision Thursday to kick out 35 Russian diplomats over the hacking scandal, Put said he would not "stoop" to the level of "irresponsible diplomacy" but would work to restore ties with America under President-elect Donald Trump.

Moscow denies Democratic accusations of hacking interference in the US presidential campaign and called the US sanctions "ungrounded".Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev described President Barack Obama as ending his term as president in "anti-Russian death throes".