Russia has expelled a British diplomat on allegations of espionage, as stated by the Russian foreign ministry.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had received information implicating a diplomatic employee at the British embassy with the UK secret service. In response, a UK Foreign Office spokesperson dismissed the accusations as unfounded.
The Russian ministry summoned British charge d’affaires Danae Dholakia to lodge a strong protest and informed her of the diplomat’s expulsion. As Ms. Dholakia left the ministry, she faced disapproval from a group of Moscow residents expressing dissatisfaction with British policies, according to state-owned news agency RIA Novosti.
The diplomat, unnamed in the announcement, was stripped of accreditation and given two weeks to leave Russia. The ministry warned that any undisclosed British intelligence officers in Russia would not be tolerated and that Moscow would respond in kind if the situation escalated.
A Foreign Office spokesperson stated, “The Kremlin’s baseless accusations against our staff are not new. Targeting British diplomats in this manner undermines the necessary conditions for diplomatic missions. We are evaluating our response options.”
Both Russia and the UK have exchanged diplomatic expulsions in recent years following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Last year, Russia expelled two British diplomats over suspicions of espionage, alleging intelligence and subversive activities against Russia’s security. The British embassy in Moscow refuted the claims, asserting that they would respond accordingly.
Regarding the escalating tensions, Sergey Karaganov, head of Russia’s Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, warned that if Russia faced defeat in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin might resort to using nuclear weapons, leading to catastrophic consequences for Europe. Karaganov criticized his government for being too accommodating towards Europe and suggested severe consequences if the conflict persisted.