The diplomatic tension between Russia and the United Kingdom escalated today as Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British interim charge d’affaires, Tom Dodd, over what they described as “inadmissible support for the terrorist actions” of Ukraine. Additionally, Russia informed the UK that travel restrictions would be imposed on British diplomats. However, the UK’s Foreign Office disputed the claim, stating that Mr. Dodd was not summoned and the meeting was a planned one, as part of standard diplomatic practice.
The disagreement adds to the strained relations between the two countries, with both sides entangled in the ongoing crisis surrounding Ukraine. Amid the diplomatic row, the UK has announced that it supplied Ukraine with 184,000 more artillery shells than initially planned a year ago. The Defense Secretary, Ben Wallace, also revealed that the UK donated significant quantities of military equipment, ammunition, and non-lethal aid to support Kyiv in defending its territory.
Originally intending to send 16,000 “critical” shells to Ukraine in 2022, the UK drastically increased its aid, indicating the nation’s commitment to assisting Ukraine during these challenging times. Mr. Wallace further outlined the support provided to Ukraine, including 14 Challenger II tanks, 4,000 units of ammunition for arming the tanks, over five million anti-personnel weapons, 1,500 anti-aircraft weapons, and 100 launchers for them. In addition, the UK has spent £2.3 billion on supporting Ukraine’s war effort between April 2022 and March 2023.
The recent violence in Ukraine’s southern port cities, Odesa and Mykolaiv, has further fueled tensions. The strikes resulted in the loss of three lives, including a married couple in Mykolaiv and a security guard in Odesa. Ukrainian officials have denounced the attacks, attributing them to Russian terrorists’ attempts to destabilize the country. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed determination to withstand the attacks and emphasized the unity of the nation in the face of Russian aggression.
In response to Russia’s warning to consider cargo ships heading for Ukraine as carrying military cargo, our defense analyst, Professor Michael Clarke, described the move as a play on the insurance industry. The threat is designed to create a sense of danger, which could deter ships from receiving insurance and subsequently sailing to Ukraine. Moscow’s decision to pull out of the Black Sea grain deal has further complicated relations, raising demands in the international community for a resolution to reach Russia’s requirements.
In light of the ongoing crisis, Poland’s bolstering of forces along its border with Belarus has caused concern for the Kremlin. The deployment of over 1,000 troops and military hardware by the NATO country is seen as a hostile attitude towards Belarus and Russia. As the situation unfolds, members of the House of Lords have debated possible resolutions to the crisis, including offering Russia NATO membership in exchange for a complete withdrawal from Ukraine, which sparked lively opposition among peers.
Furthermore, the UK has removed sanctions on Russian entrepreneur Oleg Tinkov after an appeal by billionaire Richard Branson. Tinkov, the founder of digital bank Tinkoff, contested his inclusion on the list of sanctioned Russians, renounced his Russian citizenship, and sold his stake in Tinkoff. Prominent figures such as Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Richard Branson have voiced their support for Tinkov’s removal from the sanctions list.
