Russia expelled a British diplomat from Moscow on Tuesday, accusing him of espionage in a move that further strains relations between the two nations.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) alleged the diplomat had deliberately provided false information to gain entry into the country under the guise of a cover identity, a violation of Russian law, according to the state news agency TASS.
“The Russian FSB has identified signs of intelligence and subversive work by the said diplomat that threatens the security of the Russian Federation,” the FSB claimed.
Following the allegations, the Russian Foreign Ministry revoked the diplomat’s accreditation and ordered him to leave the country within two weeks.
The FSB claimed the expelled diplomat had been sent to replace one of six British intelligence officers expelled by Russia in August, also over espionage accusations. At that time, the UK dismissed Russia’s allegations as “completely baseless.”
This latest development adds to the mounting tension between Moscow and London, with relations at a low point due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The United Kingdom has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since the conflict began, imposing strict sanctions on Russia and providing billions in military and economic aid to Kyiv.
The UK has also supplied advanced weaponry to Ukraine, including British-French-made Storm Shadow missiles, which were reportedly used in attacks on Russian targets last week.
The use of Western-made missiles has drawn direct condemnation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who criticised the West’s “reckless decisions” to arm Ukraine. In response, the Kremlin recently conducted a test of a new medium-range ballistic missile, which Putin described as a reaction to Western actions.
Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate. On Tuesday, Ukraine reported a record 188 drone attacks launched by Russia overnight.
The Ukrainian Air Force also confirmed that four Iskander-M ballistic missiles struck targets, damaging critical infrastructure in Ternopil and causing power outages.
In the Kyiv region, air defences were active throughout the night as drones were intercepted. Some residential areas were affected, with broken windows reported in homes due to debris from downed drones.
