Russia has expelled a British diplomat on accusations of espionage, as confirmed by the Russian foreign ministry. The ministry stated it received information linking a diplomatic employee at the British embassy to the British secret service. In response, the UK Foreign Office dismissed the accusations as unfounded and malicious.
The Russian ministry summoned British charge d’affaires Danae Dholakia to lodge a formal protest and informed her of the diplomat’s expulsion. As Dholakia left the ministry, she faced disapproval from a group of Moscow residents expressing discontent with British policies.
The diplomat, unnamed by the ministry, has been stripped of accreditation and ordered to leave Russia within two weeks. Russia warned against the presence of undisclosed British intelligence personnel and threatened reciprocal action if London escalates the situation.
A Foreign Office spokesperson criticized the Kremlin’s actions, calling the accusations baseless and detrimental to diplomatic operations. The ongoing diplomatic tensions have led to periodic expulsions of diplomats between Russia and the UK since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Last year, Russia expelled two British diplomats over alleged espionage activities deemed a threat to national security. The British embassy in Moscow denied the allegations and vowed to respond appropriately to such claims.
In a separate incident, Sergey Karaganov, head of Russia’s Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, mentioned the possibility of nuclear retaliation by Russia if faced with defeat in Ukraine. He also criticized European support for the conflict, warning of severe consequences if the situation persists.