Two US NGOs withdraw staff from Russia

Two US non-governmental organisations have ceased work in Russia and withdrawn their personnel, including Russian citizens, Xinhua reported on Wednesday. The National Democratic Institute and the International Republic Institute have re-deployed seven Russian workers to Lithuania, fearing they could be prosecuted in Russia under a new treason law. NGO directors Tamerlan Kurbanov and Natalia Budayeva, together with their families, moved to Lithuanian capital Vilnius.