A British diplomat has been expelled from Russia after they were allegedly acting as a spy.
Moscow’s foreign ministry said in a statement this morning it had received information “regarding the affiliation of a diplomatic employee at the embassy with the British secret service”.
According to a translation of a post on its Telegram channel, the ministry said it had summoned British charge d’affaires Danae Dholakia to lodge a “strong protest” and inform her the diplomat was being expelled.
The diplomat has not been identified but must leave Russia within two weeks.
The ministry said Moscow would not “tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers in Russia”.
It warned Russia would “respond decisively in kind” if London “escalates the situation”.
Both Russia and the UK have periodically expelled each other’s diplomats from the country since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Most recently, Russia expelled a UK diplomat and the spouse of another in March last year, claiming the pair had been spies.
In response, the UK expelled a Russian diplomat, with then-foreign secretary David Lammy accusing Moscow of waging a “relentless and unacceptable campaign of intimidation” against British embassy staff.
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