Russia has expelled a British diplomat over alleged spying activities, escalating tensions between the two countries following Ukraine’s use of British weapons to strike deeper into Russia. The FSB, Russia’s domestic intelligence agency, claimed the diplomat engaged in reconnaissance and subversive activities threatening national security.
The British diplomat was accused of intentionally providing false information when entering Russia, leading to a two-week expulsion deadline. This diplomat was a replacement for one of six UK diplomats expelled in August over similar espionage accusations, which the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) denied as baseless.
The Russian foreign ministry summoned the British ambassador in Moscow, Nigel Casey, while the FCDO did not provide immediate comments. Last week, Britain granted Ukraine permission to use Storm Shadow missiles on Russian targets, responding to the escalation of North Korean troops on Ukraine’s border.
As a result, Ukraine used these missiles to strike a command headquarters in Russia’s Kursk region, with Britain sending more missiles to Ukraine weeks prior. Russia, led by President Vladimir Putin, responded by launching an experimental ballistic missile at a military target in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The UK and Russia have a history of expelling diplomats amid strained relations, including Russia ordering a British defense attache to leave in retaliation for the expulsion of a senior Russian defense attache in May.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com
