And closing down a school for diplomats kids...except it appears that didn't happen either. I am finding it very hard to believe any of the Russia vs US news

Here's an article [1] in English from Finland (not sure if the paywall is active for foreigners) by the largest newspaper in the country about an activist who has been harrassed for 11 years by the FSB for operating a pro-Chechen website in the past. They've left dead birds inside his home etc. Pictures included. Russia officially petitioned the UN Security Council to add the guy to the official UN "al-Qaeda" terrorist list.

[1] http://www.hs.fi/sunnuntai/art-2000002847124.html

This kind of behaviour by the Russian security services has been well documented for decades. It’s hardly out of keeping with their past.

Journalists get stories wrong all the time, even journalists from respected publications.