The Consulate General of Russia
© Stephen Lam / ReutersThe entrance to the building of the Consulate General of Russia is shown in San Francisco
The "occupation" of Russian diplomatic properties in the US is merely a "blunt act of hostility," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that Washington is violating international law and the Vienna Convention by the move.

Searches of the Russian premises began on Saturday, after the US State Department ordered the foreign ministry on August 31 to vacate the premises by September 2.

The FBI arrived in at least two vehicles to search the San Francisco Consulate. The minute the deadline expired, agents entered the Russian-owned diplomatic property, which in 2016 alone issued more than 16,000 tourist visas to American citizens.

Russian diplomats have posted photo and video evidence of the searches, which they call a "travesty of justice."

"We regard the incident as a blunt act of hostility, a gross violation of international law by Washington, including the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic and consular relations," the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.