They changed the headline. I copy-pasted it verbatim a few hours ago. What has apparently happened is that Putin's advisory board recommended the expulsion, the BBC (and myself) thought "yeah, he'll probably do that", and then he decided not to, because Putin. Guess I learned my lesson for the eighteenth time, never post breaking news. In fact, just don't post links at all, because I regret it almost always.
I have a related question that I don't know where else to ask. What are the odds that Putin does not voice support for Trump out of admiration (presumably because of similar authoritative tendencies), but instead because he sees a Trump administration as inept enough to significantly weaken the U.S.'s geopolitik game? I think at least a few of you guys around here have suggested that a shitty prez will just be ineffective and the country will chug along as usual, I hope you guys are right.
I figured somebody had thought of it, just hadn't seen it expressed anywhere down in the hole I live in.
IANAPolitical scientist, but that's kind of my pet theory. Putin's been trying to reassert Russia's influence since he came to power, and an America that is unwilling or unable to meaningfully intervene in the international sphere leaves a power vacuum that looks awful nice.