US summons Russian charge d'affaires

However, the Russian charge d'affaires rejected the accusations, the Russian Embassy in Washington said.

"Today, the Russian Charge d'Affaires used the meeting in @StateDept to strongly reject groundless allegations against @Russia on destabilizing actions across the Euro-Atlantic area", the embassy said on Twitter, Sputnik reported.

American Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan previously returned to Washington for consultations, after the Russian Foreign Ministry recommended him to do so amid a crisis in bilateral relations.

Tensions escalated last week after Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said that Prague suspected Russia's special services of involvement in the explosions in Vrbetice, deciding to expel 18 Russian diplomats from the Czech Republic.

Moscow refuted the accusations and expelled 20 Czech diplomats in response, also accusing the United States of orchestrating the move against Russia.

HJ/PR