Russia expelled a British diplomat after accusing him of espionage, it was revealed today, amid frosty relations between East and West over Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
The FSB security service stated that the diplomat “intentionally provided false information when receiving permission to enter our country, thereby violating Russian legislation.”
The TASS news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying the ministry had summoned British ambassador Nigel Casey over the allegations.
According to the FSB, the British diplomat replaced one of the six British diplomats expelled in August, also on espionage charges, and carried out espionage and sabotage activities while on Russian soil.
“A decision was made to withdraw his accreditation and he was ordered to leave Russia within two weeks,” the FSB reported.
“Signs of intelligence and subversive work have been revealed that threaten the security of the Russian Federation,” a statement added, without providing details about the accusation.
There was no immediate comment from Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The British embassy in Moscow did not respond to a request for comment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Arkhangelsk Region Governor Alexander Tsybulsky during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024.
A general view of the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia
Relations between Britain and Russia have fallen to post-Cold War lows since the start of the Ukraine war.
Britain has joined successive waves of sanctions against Russia and has provided weapons to Ukraine.
Russia has refused to renew the accreditation of many UK diplomats in Moscow amid frosty relations over Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and British assistance to kyiv.
Russia said Ukraine fired British Storm Shadow cruise missiles at its territory last week for the first time.
President Vladimir Putin cited that, and Ukraine’s launch of U.S. ATACMS ballistic missiles, as the reason Russia responded by launching a new hypersonic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Nov. 21.