It's the biggest mass expulsion of diplomats in modern history. From the United States to former Soviet republics, Britain's allies are expelling over 130 Russians. Australia has just announced it will expel two diplomats and suggested it might boycott the football World Cup this summer in Russia. It's a show of support for the UK and its accusation that a Soviet-era nerve agent was used to poison a former Russian spy and his daughter on British soil. Our correspondent Roee Ruttenberg has the details.

"The US says Monday's action was taken in conjunction with its allies and partners in response to the attack on UK soil, and to other Russian actions aimed at destabilization in the US and around the world. This list shows that one and half dozen countries that announced expulsions simultaneously on Monday. Among them, Canada, Germany, France, and Ukraine. On Monday, the White House Deputy Press Secretary was asked -- why President Trump when he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and congratulated him on his election victory,  didn't raise the issue as sternly. This was the response.

Of the 60 Russian nationals and their families being expelled from the US, 12 are based at the Russian mission to the UN. 48 are from the Russian consulate in Seattle. Senior administration officials said they are all intelligence operatives, and that particular consulate had the highest concentration of them. They said their covert operations threaten America's national security, and they gave them one week to leave.

ROEE RUTTENBERG WASHINGTON DC "The White House said this was all done in coordination with the UK, that the US President has been speaking (frequently with British Prime Minister Theresa May, and that this was about sending a unified message.Senior administration officials said there are currently more than 100) Russian intelligence operatives working in the U.S. This round of expulsions would take that number down to at least 40. The White House said it reserves the right to respond to any Russian retaliation to Monday's decision. Roee Ruttenberg, CGTN, in Washington."