Foreign Office expels Russian diplomat in tit-for-tat move after 'spying' row

The Foreign Office has revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat after a British official was expelled from Moscow last year.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said the Russian ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, had been summoned to a meeting with a senior British official to revoke the accreditation of the diplomat.

"This is in response to Russia's unprovoked and baseless decision to strip the accreditation of a British diplomat in Moscow in November," they said.

The spokesperson added: "The UK will not stand for intimidation of our staff in this way, and so we are taking reciprocal action.

"Any further action taken by Russia will be considered an escalation and responded to accordingly."

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Shortly after the announcement, Foreign Secretary David Lammy posted on X: "We've stripped a Russian diplomat's accreditation, following Russia's recent expulsion of a British diplomat.

"We are unapologetic about protecting our national interests.

"My message to Russia is clear - if you take action against us, we will respond."

It comes after an employee of the British Embassy in Moscow was stripped of his accreditation and ordered to leave the country last year after being accused of being a spy.

TASS, the Russian state news agency, said in November that he had been expelled for "intentionally providing false information when entering the Russian Federation".

It said evidence had been found that the diplomat was involved in "reconnaissance and subversive work that threatens the security of the Russian Federation".

The British diplomat who was removed from Russia had replaced one of six British intelligence officers who were expelled in August, according to TASS.

The Foreign Office rejected Russia's accusations as "baseless".

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In May last year, the UK expelled Russia's defence attache in London, Colonel Maxim Elovik, claiming he was an "undeclared military intelligence officer".

The government also removed diplomatic status from several Russian-owned premises and placed restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas.

In response, Russia expelled Britain's defence attache in Moscow, Captain Adrian Coghill.

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