Britain has revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat in a retaliatory move after Moscow expelled a British envoy on spying allegations. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed that Russian ambassador Andrey Kelin was summoned to explain what it called an 'unprovoked and unjustified' decision by Russia.
The FCDO stated it would not 'stand for intimidation of British embassy staff', accusing Russia of attempting to 'deter our support for Ukraine' through its actions. A spokesperson said: 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified decision to expel a British diplomat last month and its baseless accusations against our staff.'
Russia expelled a British diplomat in mid-November after accusing him of being a spy. Moscow's foreign ministry said it acted on information linking the diplomat to the British secret service, and ordered him to leave within two weeks. The ministry warned it would 'respond decisively in kind' if London escalated the situation.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting dismissed the Russian accusations, telling the Press Association: 'I don’t think we should put too much stock in what the Kremlin has to say. You normally know when they’re lying, because their lips are moving.' The FCDO warned that any further Russian action would be considered an escalation and would be met with a proportionate response.
