Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced today that it has revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow, accusing them of engaging in espionage and sabotage activities. The move marks a significant escalation in diplomatic tensions between Russia and the United Kingdom.
According to the FSB, the diplomats were allegedly involved in intelligence-gathering efforts aimed at undermining Russian security. The agency claims that the British diplomats were working as part of a broader operation to destabilize Russia amidst its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The FSB, a successor to the Soviet-era KGB, released a statement alleging that the British diplomats had been gathering sensitive information under the guise of their diplomatic positions. "The actions of these individuals were deemed to be beyond diplomatic protocol and a threat to the national security of the Russian Federation," the FSB spokesperson said.
The six diplomats, whose names were broadcast on Russian state television, were reportedly part of the British Embassy’s political department. The diplomats were ordered to leave Russia immediately, and the FSB warned that additional British officials could face similar expulsions if found engaged in what it described as "harmful activities."
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova echoed these claims, accusing the British embassy of operating outside of normal diplomatic boundaries. They are deliberately engaging in actions detrimental to the Russian people,” Zakharova stated in a televised briefing.
The British government has yet to issue a formal response to the expulsions, and the British Embassy in Moscow has declined to comment. However, diplomatic sources suggest that London is likely to retaliate by expelling Russian diplomats from the UK in the coming days.
This latest move by Russia further strains relations between Moscow and the West, particularly in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The diplomatic fallout comes amidst growing international tension over the conflict, with both sides accusing the other of escalating the situation through covert operations and intelligence activities.
More details and reactions from British officials are expected in the coming days as the situation continues to unfold.
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