Russia has accused two British diplomats of spying and given them two weeks to leave the country, reinforcing the downward trajectory of Moscow's diplomatic relations with Europe even as it negotiates to restore ties with the United States.
Britain's Foreign Office rejected the allegations against its diplomats as “baseless.”.
The expulsions come days after three Bulgarians were found guilty in a London court of being part of a Russian spy unit run by Wirecard fugitive Jan Marsalek to carry out surveillance on a U.S. military base and other individuals targeted by Moscow.
The two Britons appear to be the first Western diplomats to be expelled from Russia since Moscow and Washington opened talks on restoring staff at their respective embassies that have been depleted by tit-for-tat expulsions, part of Donald Trump's rapprochement with the Kremlin that has alarmed European allies.
Similar expulsions have sharply curtailed the functioning of Russian embassies across the West and of Western missions in Russia since President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022.
Russia's Federal Security Service said the two British diplomats had provided false information when getting permission to enter the country, and it had “identified signs of intelligence and subversive work” they had carried out, harming Russian security.
The Kremlin said Russia's intelligence services were doing everything necessary to safeguard national security.
Responding to Moscow's decision on Monday, Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement: “This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.”
Russia's Foreign Ministry said it had summoned a British embassy representative over the expulsions and had complained that the diplomats were “undeclared” employees of Britain's intelligence services, something Moscow would not tolerate.
The ministry said it would “respond in kind” if London now decided to “escalate” the situation.
Russian police in February opened a criminal investigation into an alleged assault on a freelance journalist by a person believed to be an employee of the British embassy, an allegation London dismissed as “an interference operation” designed to intimidate legitimate diplomats.
That announcement came a day after Britain announced it was expelling a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow throwing out a British diplomat last November.
Relations between Britain and Russia have plunged to Cold War lows since the start of the Ukraine war.
Britain has joined successive waves of sanctions against Russia and provided arms to Ukraine.
The most recent expulsions come as Russian’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, accused Britain of being the world’s biggest “warmonger” and of sabotaging U.S. efforts to secure peace in Ukraine.
The expulsions come days after three Bulgarians were found guilty in a London court of being part of a Russian spy unit run by Wirecard fugitive Jan Marsalek to carry out surveillance on a U.S. military base and other individuals targeted by Moscow.
The two Britons appear to be the first Western diplomats to be expelled from Russia since Moscow and Washington opened talks on restoring staff at their respective embassies that have been depleted by tit-for-tat expulsions, part of Donald Trump's rapprochement with the Kremlin that has alarmed European allies.
Similar expulsions have sharply curtailed the functioning of Russian embassies across the West and of Western missions in Russia since President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022.
Russia's Federal Security Service said the two British diplomats had provided false information when getting permission to enter the country, and it had “identified signs of intelligence and subversive work” they had carried out, harming Russian security.
The Kremlin said Russia's intelligence services were doing everything necessary to safeguard national security.
Responding to Moscow's decision on Monday, Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement: “This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.”
Russia's Foreign Ministry said it had summoned a British embassy representative over the expulsions and had complained that the diplomats were “undeclared” employees of Britain's intelligence services, something Moscow would not tolerate.
The ministry said it would “respond in kind” if London now decided to “escalate” the situation.
Russian police in February opened a criminal investigation into an alleged assault on a freelance journalist by a person believed to be an employee of the British embassy, an allegation London dismissed as “an interference operation” designed to intimidate legitimate diplomats.
That announcement came a day after Britain announced it was expelling a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow throwing out a British diplomat last November.
Relations between Britain and Russia have plunged to Cold War lows since the start of the Ukraine war.
Britain has joined successive waves of sanctions against Russia and provided arms to Ukraine.
The most recent expulsions come as Russian’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, accused Britain of being the world’s biggest “warmonger” and of sabotaging U.S. efforts to secure peace in Ukraine.
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