UK expels Russian diplomat as tensions with Moscow escalate
The Foreign Office claimed Russia was seeking to ‘drive the British embassy in Moscow towards closure’ with its actions.
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Your support makes all the difference.The UK has expelled a Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse in response to an “increasingly aggressive and co-ordinated campaign of harassment” against British officials in Moscow.
The move is a tit-for-tat retaliation to a similar move by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government earlier this week.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “We are taking immediate action in direct response to Russia’s pernicious targeting of British diplomats and their families.
“We will not tolerate the Kremlin’s relentless and unacceptable campaign of intimidation, nor their repeated attempts to threaten UK security.”
The Foreign Office said it had summoned Russian ambassador Andrei Kelin to make clear “the UK will not stand for intimidation of British embassy staff and their families”.
A spokesman claimed the Russian state was “actively seeking to drive the British embassy in Moscow towards closure” with its actions.
On Monday Russia expelled a diplomat and the spouse of another, accusing the pair of spying – a claim dismissed as “entirely false” by the UK.
The UK has now revoked the accreditation of the Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse in response.
Announcing the UK’s response on Wednesday a Foreign Office spokesman said: “During the past 12 months, Russia has pursued an increasingly aggressive and co-ordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats, pumping out malicious and completely baseless accusations about their work.
“Russia’s expulsion this week of a British diplomat and diplomatic spouse is yet another escalation. The accusations made against these individuals are entirely false, fabricated in order to justify their increasing harassment of UK diplomats.
“It is clear that the Russian state is actively seeking to drive the British embassy in Moscow towards closure and has no regard for the dangerous escalatory impact of this.
“Summoning the Russian ambassador today, a senior Foreign Office official made clear that the UK will not stand for intimidation of British embassy staff and their families.
“Consequently, we are taking immediate reciprocal action, revoking accreditation for a Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse.”
The UK said maintaining diplomatic ties was important despite the “extremely difficult” situation caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the “long-running campaign of hostile action against the UK”.
“We have drawn a line under this incident and demand Russia do the same,” the spokesman said.
“Any further action taken by Russia will be considered an escalation and responded to accordingly.”