Russia’s Federal Security Service has ordered a UK embassy official to depart the country within 14 days, citing claims of espionage and falsified documentation.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Thursday that it has revoked the credentials of a British diplomat based in Moscow. Russian state media reports suggest the individual is accused of providing fraudulent information on his entry applications and attempting to secure classified data during informal economic forums. The diplomat has been given a two-week window to finalize his affairs and leave Russian territory.
In London, the Foreign Office immediately dismissed the allegations as “complete nonsense.” A spokesperson characterized the expulsion as a tactical component of a broader, state-sponsored effort to interfere with the legitimate work of British officials. The UK government maintains that these accusations are entirely manufactured to suit a specific political narrative within the Kremlin.
“The UK does not stand for intimidation of British embassy staff and their families. Russia has been pumping out malicious and completely baseless accusations about their work.”
The diplomatic friction escalated further when the UK’s charge d’affaires, Danae Dholakia, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry for a formal reprimand. Dholakia reportedly exited the ministry building without providing a statement to the gathered press. This incident marks the latest chapter in a series of reciprocal staff removals that have defined Anglo-Russian relations since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022.
SOURCES: Federal Security Service (FSB), UK Foreign Office, Tass News Agency, Russian Foreign Ministry.
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