In a significant escalation of tensions, Russia has expelled a British diplomat, citing claims of espionage. The Federal Security Service (FSB) alleges that the diplomat provided false information during his entry application and attempted to gather sensitive information during informal economic meetings.
The expulsion notice has mandated that the diplomat leave Russia within two weeks, and his accreditation has been revoked. In response, a spokesperson from the UK Foreign Office dismissed the accusations, describing them as 'complete nonsense' and accusing Russia of an 'aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats.'
They emphasized that the United Kingdom would not tolerate the intimidation of its diplomatic staff or their families and denounced the baseless nature of the allegations against the diplomat.
The FSB further alleges that the diplomat 'intentionally provided false information' when obtaining a permit to enter Russia, with indications of intelligence activities being suspected. His identity has also been made public by Russian state media.
Following this diplomatic incident, the UK's charge d'affaires, Danae Dholakia, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, exiting without making any comments on the circumstances.
This expulsion is part of ongoing retaliatory measures between Russia and the UK, especially exacerbated by the diplomatic fallout from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which has led to several rounds of mutual expulsions of diplomats.
