The United Kingdom has accused Russia of mounting an “aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment” following the expulsion of a British diplomat from Moscow over alleged espionage activities.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) described the accusations as “malicious” and “baseless,” insisting that the diplomat was carrying out normal official duties, LBC reported.
According to Russian media, Moscow’s security and counterintelligence authorities claimed to have uncovered evidence of espionage, ordering the diplomat to leave Russia within two weeks. This is the second such expulsion of a British diplomat this year on spying allegations.
On Monday, Russia’s foreign ministry summoned the British chargé d’affaires. The Federal Security Service alleged that the diplomat had an “undeclared intelligence presence” in Russia and was involved in activities “that threaten the security of the Russian Federation,” including attempts to obtain sensitive economic data.
Earlier this year, in January, President Vladimir Putin’s foreign ministry warned that it would not “tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers in Russia” following the first expulsion of a UK diplomat.
The latest incident adds to ongoing tensions between London and Moscow, with the UK firmly rejecting the allegations and calling for an immediate end to what it describes as a pattern of intimidation against British officials.
An FCDO spokesperson said: “The accusations made today by Russia against our diplomats are completely unacceptable.
“Russia has pursued an increasingly aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats, pumping out malicious and completely baseless accusations about their work.
“The UK does not stand for intimidation of British embassy staff and their families.”
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