Russia has expelled two British diplomats on charges of espionage. The Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) announced that one British diplomat and their spouse are being expelled from the country. The FSB accused them of gathering intelligence and engaging in subversive activities. They have been instructed to leave Russia within two weeks.
This expulsion follows a series of similar incidents, with seven British diplomats expelled from Russia in the past year under similar espionage accusations, which the UK has consistently denied. The UK Foreign Office stated that this is not the first time Russia has made baseless and hostile allegations against British personnel.
Relations between the UK and Russia have deteriorated since Russia’s military actions in Ukraine in 2022. Recently, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated strong support for Ukraine, further straining bilateral ties.