Plane carrying 35 Russian diplomats expelled from the United States lands in Moscow

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A plane carrying 35 diplomats expelled from the United States over Russia's alleged meddling in the US presidential election arrived in Moscow today
A Russian Il-96 plane carrying the diplomats and their families landed at 2.05am
Diplomats gathered their luggage in the rain before heading inside the terminal

Published: 04:05 EST, 2 January 2017 | Updated: 06:49 EST, 2 January 2017

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The 35 suspected Russian spies expelled by Barack Obama arrived back in Moscow in the early hours of this morning with their families.

Mr Obama last week expelled the diplomats over the hacking of US political groups during the 2016 presidential election.

The US government accused the diplomats of 'acting in a manner inconsistent with their diplomatic status' – a euphemism for spying – and gave them 72 hours to leave the country.

The special flight touched down in Moscow at 2.08am today after departing from Dulles International Airport in Virginia yesterday.

The plane carrying the 35 Russian diplomats accused of spying by the US arrived back in Moscow this morning

Obama ordered the expulsion of the Russians and imposed sanctions on two Russian intelligence agencies over their involvement in hacking political groups during the election

In freezing conditions in Moscow, the diplomats and their families were ushered off the flight and into waiting buses on the tarmac

In freezing temperatures, the diplomats were ushered into waiting buses and driven away.

The curtains on the windows remained shut to avoid showing their faces as their identities have not been officially disclosed.

As well as expelling the diplomats, Mr Obama ordered sanctions on Russian spy agencies and closed two Russian compounds in Maryland and New York suspected of being spying hubs for their agents.

State television showed the diplomats and their families gathering their luggage on the tarmac in the rain before heading inside the terminal via buses

'NO COMPUTER IS SAFE', SAYS TRUMP

Donald Trump yesterday said 'no computer is safe' as he expressed further doubts over claims Russia tried to influence the US election through hacking.

The US president-elect also cryptically claimed that he knows 'things that other people don't know' about the issue.

Speaking at his New Year's Eve party in Florida, Mr Trump said: 'You know, if you have something really important, write it out and have it delivered by courier, the old-fashioned way. Because I'll tell you what: no computer is safe. I don't care what they say.'

Using Cold War rhetoric, he said the hacking 'could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government', suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin was personally involved.

The Russian government dismissed hacking allegations as absurd but Mr Putin declined to order a tit-for-tat expulsion of American diplomats, claiming he would not 'stoop' to Obama's level.

He said he would consider the actions of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20, when deciding on further steps in Russia-U.S. relations.

Mr Trump has repeatedly cast aside allegations by US intelligence agencies that Vladimir Putin has ordered hacking in the US.

The plane that transported the Russian diplomats was an Ilyushin Il-96, part of the fleet of aircraft which ferry Mr Putin, his ministers and senior politicians around Russia and beyond.

It arrived at Vnukovo airport's VIP terminal under darkness in Moscow at 2.08am local time, but there was no sign of a formal welcome for the expelled diplomats.

Boxes and other luggage were seen being loaded into waiting vans.

They were then seen being driven away in Soviet-style PAZ buses to the terminal.