Russia Expels British Diplomats: Key Points

• Russia is expelling two British diplomats over espionage claims.
• The U.K. refutes the allegations as malicious and baseless.
• Expulsions of diplomats have increased since the Ukraine conflict.
• Significant diplomatic tensions exist between Russia and the West.

On Monday, Russia announced the expulsion of two British diplomats stationed at the embassy in Moscow. This action is linked to accusations of espionage that the United Kingdom has dismissed as "malicious and baseless."

The Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) stated that these diplomats had submitted false personal information while attempting to gain entry permission into the country. They also allegedly engaged in activities that threatened Russian security, although no evidence was provided to support these claims.

According to the state news agency RIA Novosti, the Russian government has revoked the accreditations of the two diplomats, imposing a two-week deadline for their departure from Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry indicated that it summoned a British embassy official, asserting that “Moscow will not tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers on Russian territory.”

In response, the UK's Foreign Office issued a statement highlighting that this is not the first instance of Russia making unsubstantiated accusations against their staff. However, it did not clarify if the UK would take any retaliatory actions.

Background Context

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the expulsion of diplomats has become more frequent. Reports indicate that between early 2022 and October 2023, Western nations and Japan expelled 670 Russian diplomats, while Russia retaliated by expelling 346 diplomats. This number surpasses total expulsions in the previous two decades combined.