Russia expels a British diplomat over spy accusations, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The ministry stated it had evidence linking a diplomatic employee at the British embassy to the UK secret service. In response, a UK Foreign Office spokesperson dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
The Russian ministry summoned British charge dâaffaires Danae Dholakia to register a formal protest and inform her of the diplomat’s expulsion. As she departed, a crowd of Moscow residents expressed dissatisfaction with British policies by booing her. The unnamed diplomat has been stripped of accreditation and given a two-week deadline to leave Russia. Moscow issued a warning against the presence of undeclared British intelligence officers, vowing to react if London escalates the situation.
A spokesperson from the Foreign Office criticized the Kremlin for baseless accusations against British staff, stating that such actions hinder diplomatic operations. Both countries have previously expelled each other’s diplomats following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Last year, Russia expelled two British diplomats on suspicion of espionage, alleging their activities posed a threat to national security. The British embassy refuted the claims, denouncing them as groundless and reiterated a firm response.
Sergey Karaganov, head of Russia’s Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, warned that if Russia faced defeat in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin might resort to nuclear weapons, causing significant harm to Europe. Karaganov criticized his government for being overly tolerant towards Europe’s stance on the conflict, suggesting that severe consequences may follow if the support for the war continues.