Russia has revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats, accusing them of espionage, according to Russian media reports.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed that the diplomats’ activities posed a threat to the country’s security, labelling the move as a response to “multiple unfriendly acts.”
The expulsion comes amid heightened tensions between Moscow and the West over the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned NATO that allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles would represent a serious escalation.
Speaking on state television, Putin stated that such actions would equate to “the direct participation of NATO countries— the US and European countries—in the war in Ukraine.”
The Russian leader emphasised that this would fundamentally alter the nature of the conflict. “If that is the case, we will take corresponding decisions based on the threats that will be created to us,” he said.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, currently in Washington for discussions with US President Joe Biden, addressed Putin’s warning, affirming Ukraine’s right to defend itself. However, Starmer stressed that the UK was not seeking conflict with Moscow.
The diplomatic row between Russia and the UK, alongside NATO’s ongoing military support for Ukraine, further highlights the fragile state of international relations as the war enters a new phase of escalation.
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