LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday it was expelling two U.S. diplomats whom it accused of working with a Russian national charged with collaborating with a foreign state. "The named people conducted illegal activity, maintaining contact with Russian citizen R. Shonov, accused of 'confidential cooperation' with a foreign state," the Russian statement said. In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Shonov had been paid to complete tasks aimed at damaging Russia's national security. Relations between Russia and the United States have plunged to their worst point for more than 60 years because of the war in Ukraine. The United States is providing advanced weaponry to Ukraine and has hit Russia with sanctions in response to its invasion in February 2022.

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Persons: Lynne Tracy, Jeffrey Sillin, David Bernstein, Shonov, Robert Shonov, Sillin, Bernstein, Tracy, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Foreign Ministry, State Department, U.S . Consulate, United, Russian Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, U.S, Washington, Vladivostok, Ukraine, United States, Moscow