Russia's foreign ministry has announced plans to expel 35 US diplomats in a tit-for-tat response after the same number of Russian officials were expelled by Washington.
Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov described Washington's actions as "stunts" and dismissed the notion that two Russian compounds in America that are to be shut down are "nests of spies".
He said the foreign ministry has requested that President Vladimir Putin declare 31 employees of the US embassy in Moscow and four diplomats at its consulate in St Petersburg as "persona non grata".
Russia had warned that measures taken by President Barack Obama could "destroy" relations between the two countries.
Mr Obama took action on Thursday after Russia was blamed for cyber attacks that disrupted the US presidential election and was also accused of harrassing US diplomats.
The Kremlin, which says the allegations against it are unfounded, responded by unleashing a barrage of colourful rhetoric against what was described as the "lame duck" administration.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev described America's measures as the "anti-Russian death throes" of the outgoing leadership.
But any plans for retaliation are complicated by the imminent arrival in the Oval Office of Donald Trump - who has adopted a much less hostile tone on Russia.
The US on Thursday ordered officials at the Russian embassy in Washington and consulate in San Francisco to leave the country within 72 hours, as well as shutting down Russian compounds in New York and Maryland.
Its measures also included sanctions against Russia's GRU and FSB intelligence services as well as the release of FBI wanted posters for alleged Russian hackers.
Kremlin spokesman said Russia would "react in an adequate manner" but that, with Obama only in office for three weeks, it would refrain from acting like a "bull in a china shop".
Maria Zakharova, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, took to Facebook to call the Obama administration "a group of foreign policy losers, angry and ignorant".
The Russian embassy in the UK tweeted that "everybody, incl (the American) people, will be glad to see the last of this hapless Adm" together with the picture of a "lame duck".
President Obama said in a statement announcing the measures against Russia that they were a "necessary and appropriate response" after repeated warnings to Russia over "efforts to harm US interests".
He said the alleged hacking "could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government".
Mr Trump, who has been dismissive about the hacking claims against Russia, issued a statement saying it was "time for our country to move on to bigger and better things".
However, he added: "In the interest of our country and its great people, I will meet with leaders of the intelligence community next week in order to be updated on the facts of this situation."
Mr Obama took action by amending an executive order issued last year.
Mr Trump will be able to reverse that order, should he wish.
Senator John McCain, meanwhile, has questioned whether Mr Trump's nominee to be Secretary of State - Rex Tillerson - is too closely linked to Russia.
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