2 Soviet Diplomats Leave U.S., First of 25 Booted Out

Two of 25 Soviet diplomats ordered out of the United States by the Reagan Administration have left the country, a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations said today.

Spokesman Richard C. Hottelet declined to identify the two members of the Soviet U.N. mission but confirmed the departures.

In Washington, Reagan Administration officials took issue with reports indicating as many as 21 of the Soviets left New York Sunday.

An Administration source said the Soviets were putting out the word that 21 had departed. “There’s no question that some have left,” the source said, “but that number is way too high.”

Valentin Karymov, senior counselor at the Soviet Mission, said by telephone that he did not know how many of the 25 had left. But he said all would leave by the Oct. 1 deadline set by the United States.

Last week, Soviet officials had said they would fight the expulsion order.

In ordering the expulsions, the State Department said it was acting under an order made in March for the Soviets to reduce their U.N. mission staff because of its excessive size and alleged espionage activities. But Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze branded the expulsion order last week as “illegal.”

The Reagan Administration said the ouster is not related to the arrest in the Soviet Union of U.S. News & World Report correspondent Nicholas Daniloff.