US complains to Russia about envoy’s treatment

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The Obama administration has complained to Russia about harassment of its outspoken ambassador in Moscow, who has confronted television news crews and taken to social media to raise suspicions that his cellphone and email were being hacked.

Michael McFaul, who has been a frequent target of criticism by state media, seemed to have relished the attention, at least at first. And he may have become a bigger target by taking to Twitter to muse about the alleged surveillance, admitting to learning on the job, correcting his “bad Russian” and engaging in exchanges with a person whose Twitter account was “prostitutkamila.”

“There’s been a number of incidents since his arrival there that have caused us to have some concerns about his security and safety,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Friday. “So as we would in following normal protocol, we’ve raised that with the government of Russia.”

Toner said the concerns would be raised again since McFaul on Thursday tweeted that his every move seemed to be followed by camera crews from NTV, the state- controlled station.