By Russia announced on Friday the expulsion of six British diplomats, accusing them of espionage and “subversive activities,” in a move that further strains the already tense relations between Moscow and London. The decision comes as the West, particularly the United States and Britain, grapples with Ukraine’s push to loosen restrictions on using Western-provided weapons for strikes within Russian territory.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) stated that it had uncovered documents indicating the diplomats were dispatched to Russia by a division of the UK Foreign Office tasked with inflicting a “strategic defeat” on the country. The FSB accused the diplomats of engaging in intelligence-gathering and subversive activities, leading to the withdrawal of their accreditations.
“In response to numerous unfriendly steps by London, the Russian Foreign Ministry has withdrawn the accreditation of these diplomats,” the FSB announced, without identifying the individuals involved. The security agency warned that if other diplomats are found conducting “similar actions,” it would demand an early termination of their missions to Russia.
Russian state television reported that the six diplomats had met with independent media and rights groups labeled as “foreign agents” by Russian authorities, a designation often used to target organizations and individuals critical of the Kremlin.
The British Foreign Office swiftly responded, calling the allegations “completely baseless.” A spokesperson revealed that the expulsions actually took place last month, linking them to Britain’s May decision to revoke the credentials of an attaché at Moscow’s London embassy and impose a five-year time limit on all Russian diplomats in Britain.
This diplomatic tit-for-tat occurs against the backdrop of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Washington for talks with President Joe Biden. High on the agenda is Ukraine’s request to use Western-supplied weapons against targets inside Russia, a topic that has sparked debate and concern among Western allies.
Starmer, addressing reporters en route to the U.S., emphasized that Britain does not seek conflict with Russia. “Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia could end this conflict straight away,” he stated, reaffirming Britain’s support for Ukraine’s right to self-defense.
The timing of Russia’s announcement appears strategic, coinciding with these high-level discussions on Western support for Ukraine. It underscores the complex geopolitical landscape surrounding the ongoing conflict and the delicate balance Western nations are trying to maintain in supporting Ukraine without direct confrontation with Russia.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, endorsed the FSB’s assessment of the British diplomats’ activities, accusing the UK Embassy of overstepping boundaries outlined in the Vienna Conventions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, however, stated that severing diplomatic relations with the UK is not currently under consideration.
This latest round of diplomatic expulsions is part of a broader trend since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to Russian news outlet RBC, Western countries and Japan expelled a total of 670 Russian diplomats between early 2022 and October 2023, with Moscow responding by expelling 346 diplomats – a figure surpassing the total of the previous two decades combined.
Credit: apnews.com
