Russia has expelled a British diplomat over allegations of espionage, as confirmed by the Russian foreign ministry. The ministry stated that it had received information linking a diplomatic employee at the British embassy to the UK secret service. In response, a UK Foreign Office spokesperson denounced the accusations as unfounded.
The Russian ministry summoned British charge d’affaires Danae Dholakia to convey a “strong protest” and inform her of the diplomat’s expulsion. As Ms. Dholakia left the ministry, she faced disapproval from a group of Moscow residents expressing discontent with British policies, according to state-owned news agency RIA Novosti.
The unnamed diplomat has been stripped of accreditation and instructed to depart Russia within two weeks. The ministry emphasized its intolerance towards undeclared British intelligence activities in Russia and warned of reciprocal actions if London escalates the situation.
A Foreign Office representative responded, criticizing the Kremlin for baseless allegations against British personnel and highlighting the detrimental impact on diplomatic operations. Both Russia and the UK have previously expelled each other’s diplomats following Russia’s actions in Ukraine in 2022.
Last year, Russia expelled two British diplomats on suspicion of espionage, citing threats to national security. The British embassy in Moscow rejected the allegations, vowing to respond appropriately to what they deemed unfounded claims. The Foreign Office reiterated concerns over Russia’s repeated false accusations against British staff.
In a recent report, Sergey Karaganov, head of Russia’s Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, warned of potential nuclear conflict if Russia faced defeat in Ukraine. Karaganov criticized his own government for perceived leniency towards Europe’s stance on the conflict, suggesting a need for severe consequences if European support for the war continued.