Russia announced on Tuesday the expulsion of a British diplomat on charges of espionage, further straining already deteriorated relations between Moscow and London. The Federal Security Service (FSB) accused the diplomat of providing false information upon entering Russia and engaging in activities that posed a threat to the country’s security.
In a statement, the FSB said, “The Russian FSB has discovered signs of the said diplomat conducting intelligence and subversive work that threatens the security of the Russian Federation.” The diplomat’s photograph was prominently featured in Russian TV news bulletins.
The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British embassy in Moscow have yet to comment on the allegations.
Russian state news agency TASS reported that the Russian Foreign Ministry had summoned the British ambassador, a diplomatic measure often used to lodge formal protests. Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed the move, though further details were not provided.
The expelled diplomat was reportedly a replacement for one of six British diplomats expelled earlier this year, also on accusations of espionage.
Relations between the UK and Russia have hit a post-Cold War low, largely due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Britain has been a key ally of Kyiv, imposing multiple rounds of sanctions on Russia and supplying weapons to Ukrainian forces.
This latest development underscores the escalating tensions between the two nations, with accusations of espionage adding a new layer of friction to their already fraught diplomatic ties.
