State Department officials inspected the just-vacated Russian consulate in Seattle Wednesday, "but it was met by Russian protests and claims the U.S. was violating international agreements."
The Trump administration commanded Russia to close its consulate in Seattle and send home a total of 60 personnel -- whom the U.S. deemed were undercover intelligence operatives, which Russia denied. The consulate was originally to be vacated by April 1, but the U.S. extended it until 11:59 p.m. local time on Tuesday, April 24.
At midnight, the property was "no longer authorized for use for any diplomatic or consular purposes and no longer enjoys any privileges or immunities, including inviolability, previously made available to it," according to a State Department official.
The Seattle Times reports that a locksmith hidden behind a blue tarp drilled out the lock on the front gate Wednesday, and that U.S. officials moved on to the residence's front door and a basement door.
The Russian Embassy objected on Twitter, describing it as an invasion. The Russians own the building, while the U.S. owns the land it sits on.
... Russian officials were on the scene to document what they called a "break-in" and take video of the "intruders" that was then published on the Russian embassy's Twitter account.
The U.S. withdrew its consent for Russia's consulate, however, as every country has the right to do under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. In fact, Russia closed the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in retaliation for the Trump administration's decision to shut down the Seattle office.
Russian personnel who worked at the facility were transferred to other Russian missions in the U.S. or forced to depart the U.S.
Russia cries foul after US inspectors enter shuttered Seattle consulate (ABC News)