Actually, A Different L.I. Mansion Owned By Russia Was Closed By The U.S. Government

While even White House officials said that the "Glen Cove" estate purchased by the Soviet Union in 1951 would be shut down in the wake of the DNC hacking scandal, it turns out the real Russian-owned mansion facing closure was in Upper Brookville, Long Island.

The mayor of Upper Brookville, Elliot Conway, told reporters yesterday, The premises have been vacated and it's under control of the government.... They've been quiet neighbors." Reuters reports that "a total of six vehicles had driven away from the Russian compound" by the noon deadline. And, per the NY Times, "The vehicles’ occupants, who appeared to be mostly middle-aged men and women, would not lower their windows to speak to the reporters who had gathered along the road. But a few of them waved as they departed."

The Times also has details about why it was originally believed that Killenworth, a mansion built by George duPont Pratt, would be emptied:

The confusion over which Long Island estate was to be closed had its roots in internal White House meetings in recent days in which senior officials erroneously referred to the targeted retreat as “the Glen Cove location.”

Early Friday morning, the White House officials continued to insist that the mansion in Glen Cove was the one being closed. They eventually acknowledged their mistake after the mayor of Upper Brookville said it was the estate in his village that was in fact being emptied.

The Upper Brookville mansion is known as "Norwich House" and sits on 14 acres. It was purchased by the Soviet Union in 1952 to act as a retreat for its delegation to the U.N., the same purpose as the Glen Cove estate. Newsday notes that it "nicknamed [Norwich House] 'Second Little Kremlin on Long Island,' in 1952."

Russia has a third property on Long Island, one in Oyster Bay.
In the 1980s, the U.S. government accused the then-Soviet Union of using its Long Island properties to spy on the defense industry.

A resident across the street from that home told "told BuzzFeed News that before her arrival the FBI had rented the upstairs floor of the cottage to spy on the compound. They had approached the owners, Liz and Dan Travers, when they first moved in — about thirteen years ago by Berkheimer’s estimation — and asked to rent out the upper floor. (The Travers confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the Bureau had, in fact, rented from them.) Berkheimer said they had put cameras and listening devices in the trees until leaving about 6 or 7 years ago. 'I guess they didn’t get much,' she added."

In San Francisco, the Russian Consulate complained that the expulsion of the 35 alleged "intelligence operatives" was "bizarre and ridiculous," adding that one of them was their chef. "Coming from the historic city of Yaroslavl he is a professional cook, whose mastery was enjoyed by hundreds of our guests at the Consulate for three years. He will be leaving with his wife and two-year old son."