Russia Expels Six British Diplomats, Accusing Them of Espionage Amid Rising Tensions
In a significant development, Russian authorities have accused six British diplomats of engaging in espionage, leading to their impending expulsion. This move has heightened tensions between Moscow and Western nations, occurring as Ukraine intensifies its push to gain broader permissions to use U.S. and British-supplied weapons against Russia.
Espionage Allegations Against British Diplomats
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed it obtained documents showing that the British diplomats were sent by a division of the U.K. Foreign Office with the aim of achieving “a strategic defeat” of Russia. According to the FSB, the diplomats were involved in “intelligence-gathering and subversive activities.”
Diplomatic Expulsions as a Response
In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry revoked the accreditation of the six diplomats, whose identities have not been disclosed. The FSB warned that if other diplomats engage in similar activities, their missions to Russia would also be prematurely terminated.
Russian state media reported that the accused diplomats had met with independent media and rights groups previously designated as “foreign agents,” a label often applied to organizations critical of the Kremlin.
Lack of Response from British Authorities
The British Embassy in Moscow and the U.K. Foreign Office have yet to respond. However, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, defended the FSB’s actions, accusing the diplomats of overstepping the limits defined by the Vienna Conventions. She further claimed that their activities were “subversive actions aimed at harming Russian citizens.”
A Growing Pattern of Diplomatic Expulsions
This incident is part of a growing trend of diplomatic expulsions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Diplomatic tensions have increased across Europe and beyond, with Russia and Western nations frequently expelling each other’s diplomats.
Russian news outlet RBC reported that between early 2022 and October 2023, Western countries and Japan expelled 670 Russian diplomats, while Moscow expelled 346 diplomats in response. This marked a significant increase in diplomatic expulsions compared to the previous two decades.
U.K.’s Counteractions
Britain has also taken diplomatic action against Russia. In May, the U.K. expelled Russia’s defense attaché in London, accusing him of undeclared intelligence activities. Several Russian diplomatic properties, allegedly used for spying, were also closed. In retaliation, Russia expelled Britain’s defense attaché from Moscow.
Rising International Tensions
The expulsions coincide with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Washington for talks with U.S. President Joe Biden. A key topic is Ukraine’s request to use Western-supplied weapons against targets inside Russia, further intensifying tensions.
“Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia could end this conflict straight away,” Starmer stated, emphasizing that while the U.K. fully supports Ukraine’s right to self-defense, it does not seek conflict with Russia.
As diplomatic relations between Moscow and the West continue to deteriorate, retaliatory actions have become a frequent response, signaling little hope for de-escalation in the ongoing geopolitical conflict.