Russia expels two British diplomats, accusing the U.K. of spying
On Monday, the Russian government expelled two British diplomats, accusing them of espionage and giving them two weeks to leave the country. In response, Britain dismissed the allegations as "baseless."
"Russia has uncovered signs of intelligence and subversive work by these diplomats, threatening the security of the Russian Federation," a statement by Federal Security Service officials read in part, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
The FSA claimed its counter-intelligence operators "exposed the unreported intelligence presence of the United Kingdom under the cover of the country's embassy in Moscow."
"This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff," a spokesperson for the British Foreign Office stated.
It arrived amid an ongoing diplomatic feud and other allegations by Russian officials that British diplomats were taking part in intelligence gathering and "threatening Russia's security," according to Russian state media.
"It won't distract us from our focus on supporting Ukraine and putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position over the days and weeks ahead," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office.
Officials at Downing Street said Monday this is "what we have come to expect from President (Vladimir) Putin and his regime" and "the allegations are no doubt baseless."
Meanwhile, three Britain-based Bulgarians were found guilty on Friday in Old Bailey of taking part in a Russian spy ring on an "industrial scale" which put lives and national security at risk, prosecutors noted.
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