Russia’s primary security agency claims a UK diplomat misused economic forums to gather sensitive data, sparking a new diplomatic row with London.
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) has officially terminated the residency of a member of the British diplomatic mission. Intelligence officials claim that “signs of intelligence activities” were identified during the diplomat’s participation in informal economic discussions. Furthermore, the agency stated that the official’s presence in the country was predicated on a visa application that contained deliberately falsified information.
The announcement prompted a swift and angry response from the UK Foreign Office. A spokesperson described the Russian narrative as “malicious and completely baseless,” arguing that the staff member was performing standard diplomatic duties. London has frequently accused the Kremlin of using administrative expulsions to punish the UK for its foreign policy stances, particularly its support for Ukraine.
A Pattern of Reciprocal Expulsions
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the diplomatic landscape between the two nations has been characterized by a shrinking embassy presence on both sides. In early 2025, multiple officials were sent back to London following spying allegations that the UK labeled as “complete nonsense.” This latest expulsion follows the summoning of Britain’s charge d’affaires to the Kremlin to receive a formal protest over alleged embassy misconduct.
SOURCES: Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), UK Foreign Office Spokesperson, Tass, Danae Dholakia.
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