UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Foreign Office condemned Russia’s actions, stating that the country’s growing harassment campaign against British diplomats seeks to shut down the embassy.
The British government has stated that Russia is actively pushing to shut down the UK embassy in Moscow, disregarding the potential escalation that could follow.
Foreign Office views about Russia’s escalating harassment of UK diplomats
In response to the expulsion of two British diplomats accused of espionage, Britain expelled a Russian diplomat and their spouse, a claim the UK denies on Wednesday.
The Foreign Office criticised Russian actions, stating that over the past year,
“Russia has pursued an increasingly aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats, pumping out malicious and completely baseless accusations about their work.”
In a statement published by the Foreign Office, it was stated,
“Russia’s expulsion this week of a British diplomat and diplomatic spouse is yet another escalation. The accusations made against these individuals are entirely false, fabricated to justify their increasing harassment of UK diplomats.”
It added,
“It is clear that the Russian state is actively seeking to drive the British embassy in Moscow towards closure and has no regard for the dangerous escalatory impact of this.”
What did UK official tell Russian ambassador about intimidation?
In a direct conversation with Russian ambassador Andrey Kelin, a senior official from the Foreign Office informed him that Britain would not accept harassment of its embassy staff and their families.
The official stated,
“We do not take this decision lightly but we have always made clear to Russia that if they escalate, we will take reciprocal action. The depths to which Russia sinks can only be met through strength.”
The Foreign Office highlighted its commitment to maintaining open diplomatic lines, adding that the situation would be resolved unless Russia took provocative actions.
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on his way to a G7 summit in Canada, warned
“We will not tolerate the Kremlin’s relentless and unacceptable campaign of intimidation, nor their repeated attempts to threaten UK security.”
Moscow’s stance on expelling two British diplomats
Moscow defended the expulsion of two British diplomats, highlighting that it would not accept the presence of undeclared British intelligence agents on Russian soil.
The FSB, Russia’s intelligence agency, announced that two individuals expelled from the UK embassy were its second secretary and the spouse of another diplomat. The agency reported finding ‘signs of espionage and sabotage work’ linked to both.
What did Downing Street say about the latest British diplomats’ expulsions?
Downing Street stated the recent expulsions were “what we have come to expect from President Putin and his regime” and “the allegations are no doubt baseless”.
Number 10 stated,
“It won’t distract us from our focus on supporting Ukraine and putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position over the days and weeks ahead.”
Why did Britain expel a Russian diplomat after a major spy ring investigation?
Mr Lammy stated that the UK’s move to expel a Russian diplomat last month followed Russia’s latest expulsion of a British diplomat in November.
Following a significant criminal investigation, Britain announced the expulsion of a Russian diplomat. Six individuals tied to a Russian proxy spy ring, known as the “Minions,” are now facing years in prison for their involvement in one of the “largest and most complex” foreign operations ever revealed on UK soil.
Individuals convicted for spying at the Old Bailey last week
Last week at the Old Bailey, Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty of industrial-scale espionage, compromising both national and international security.