Great Britain Russia expels British diplomat

Russia has expelled a high-ranking British diplomat for alleged espionage.

British Ambassador Nigel Casey has also been summoned to the Foreign Ministry, Russian Foreign Office spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told news agencies in Moscow.

The Russian domestic intelligence service, the FSB, had previously issued a statement alleging that the expelled British diplomat had provided false personal information when entering the country. "Indications of espionage and sabotage activities" had also been uncovered.

The diplomat had only arrived in Russia in August as one of the replacements for six previously expelled embassy staff. He must now leave the country within two weeks. The British embassy has not yet commented on the incident. It is usual in such cases for the country whose diplomat has been expelled to take similar steps.

Relations between Russia and the West have been particularly tense since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine ordered by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. Since then, both sides have expelled diplomats on several occasions.

However, there have also been expulsions before - for example after the poisoning of the defected Russian agent Sergei Skripal in the UK in 2018.

SDA