The British Foreign Office has summoned the Russian ambassador Andrey Kelin to expel a Russian diplomat from the UK.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stripped the Russian diplomat of the accreditation in a tit-for-tat move after a Moscow expelled a British diplomat last month.
Kelin was summoned after the “unprovoked and unjustified” decision over the “intimidation of British embassy staff,” Russia is accused of wanting to “deter our support” to Ukraine.
An FCDO spokesperson said, “We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified decision to expel a British diplomat last month and its baseless accusations against our staff.
“Summoning the Russian ambassador, a senior FCDO official made it clear that the UK will not stand for intimidation of British embassy staff and so we are taking reciprocal action today, revoking the accreditation of a Russian diplomat.
“It is deeply disappointing that Russia continually seeks to disrupt the work of the UK’s diplomatic missions and deter our support for Ukraine. Any further action taken by Russia will be considered an escalation and responded to accordingly.”
Last month Moscow expelled a British diplomat, saying they have information “regarding the affiliation of a diplomatic employee at the embassy with the British secret service”.
Moscow’s foreign ministry said they will not “tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers” and warned they will “respond decisively in kind” should London “escalates the situation”.
