Here's a cold shower thought:

29 December 2016
35 Russians declared Persona Non Grata
Given 2 days to leave the country
2 Diplomatic facilities closed
For what, exactly?

Interfering in the 2016 election?

How about... monitoring how the deep state was interfering in the election... and passing the information on to "an interested party."

The deep state intelligence (CIA and FBI) operatives were operating all over Europe, right. And who just might have the worldwide capacity to monitor their movements, contacts, and unofficial communications?

29 December 2016
35 Russians declared Persona Non Grata
Given 2 days to leave the country
2 Diplomatic facilities closed

Now that would be something to kick a bunch of Russian Sigint collectors out of the country and close down their monitoring and analysis hubs for.

I'm postulating that ADM Rogers got a little help from some friends.

Moves and countermoves... moves and countermoves.

Brings part of the narrative back around to what the deep state goals were in the Ukraine, doesn't it? And why the deep state would be a target of Russian sigint operations.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Keep in mind while Clapper, Brennan, Kerry, Comey, Lynch, et alia were in charge they controlled all civilian (non-military) intelligence means of communication.

NSA is not a civilian intelligence agency... it is an independent agency of the Department of Defense.

If the NSA and its Russian counterpart have been running a joint operation...

Vae victis.