Russia has expelled a British diplomat, accusing him of espionage, as reported by the Interfax news agency. The country’s Federal Security Service (FSB) stated on Tuesday that the diplomat had engaged in espionage and sabotage activities, as well as providing false information on his documents.
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the expulsion, with spokeswoman Maria Zakharova revealing that the British ambassador had been summoned in response. The expelled diplomat was reportedly a replacement for one of six British diplomats who were sent out of Russia in August on similar espionage charges.
At present, the British government has not issued an official response to the expulsion, and the British embassy in Moscow declined to comment on the matter.
Tensions between Russia and the UK have reached their lowest point since the Cold War, particularly following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The UK has been an active participant in imposing sanctions on Russia and providing military support to Ukraine, including the supply of arms.
Russia recently accused Ukraine of using British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles to strike Russian territory, an incident that prompted President Vladimir Putin to justify Russia’s response, including the launching of a hypersonic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on November 21.
