Russia expels diplomat for alleged spying
Russia expelled a British diplomat on Thursday, accusing him of spying for MI6, as tensions between the two countries continued to escalate. The British Foreign Office stated that it was "carefully considering" its response to what it called a groundless allegation.
The allegation from Moscow is that the unidentified diplomat was an undercover agent working out of the British Embassy in the Russian capital, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said he had been given 14 days to leave Russia and had his accreditation canceled and that it had summoned charge d'affaires Danae Dholakia for an explanation.
"Moscow will not tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers on Russian territory," the ministry said in a statement.
A warning issued to Dholakia stated that Russia would "continue to implement a line of zero-compromise on this issue" in line with the country's national interest.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said it was another instance of Moscow making "malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.
"Their targeting of British diplomats comes out of desperation and actions like this undermine the basic conditions required for diplomatic missions to operate."
The expulsions are the latest in a line of retaliatory actions amid a sharp deterioration in relations since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine with Britain stepping in as one of Ukraine's key backers diplomatically and providing military and economic support.
Similar news
