Russia expels six UK diplomats as tensions rise over Ukraine missiles
- In Reports
- 09:54 PM, Sep 13, 2024
- Myind Staff
Russia's FSB security service announced on Friday that it had revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow, accusing them of engaging in espionage and sabotage. This move highlights the Kremlin's growing frustration with London's significant support for Ukraine.
In response, Britain dismissed the allegations as "completely baseless," suggesting that Russia's actions were retaliatory. This comes after the UK expelled the Russian defence attaché and stripped several Russian properties of diplomatic status in May.
Russia announced the expulsion of British diplomats just hours before British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington. The talks are seen as a pivotal step towards securing approval for Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia.
President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that if the West permits Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, it would escalate the conflict significantly, potentially leading to a direct confrontation between Russia and Western powers.
The Kremlin said on Friday that Putin had delivered what it described as a clear and unambiguous message to the West which it was sure had been heard.
Washington and London view Iran's reported delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia, which was announced by Washington this week, as a significant escalation in the Ukraine conflict. This development has accelerated discussions on allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles, according to three Western sources. Both Russia and Iran have denied the existence of such missile deliveries.
The FSB, Russia's primary security agency and successor to the Soviet KGB claimed to possess documents proving that a British Foreign Office department in London, responsible for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, was coordinating efforts to "escalate the political and military situation" in the region. According to the FSB, this department's primary mission was to ensure Russia's strategic defeat in its war against Ukraine.
"The facts revealed give grounds to consider the activities of British diplomats sent to Moscow by the directorate as threatening the security of the Russian Federation," the FSB said in a statement.
"On the basis of documents provided by the Federal Security Service of Russia and as a response to the numerous unfriendly steps taken by London, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, in co-operation with the agencies concerned, has terminated the accreditation of six members of the political department of the British Embassy in Moscow in whose actions signs of spying and sabotage were found," it said.
Britain said Russian accusations against its diplomats were baseless.
"The Russian authorities revoked the diplomatic accreditation of six UK diplomats in Russia last month, following action taken by the UK government in response to Russian state-directed activity across Europe and the UK," a British Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.
"We are unapologetic about protecting our national interests."
Russia’s decision to expel British diplomats has heightened tensions with London, just as Starmer arrives in Washington to push for US President Joe Biden’s approval for Ukraine to use Britain's Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of over 250 km (155 miles), within Russian territory.
According to sources, the meeting is another step in discussions to permit Ukraine to use Western long-range missiles against Russian targets, a request Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been making for months. A Western source indicated that a decision could come during the United Nations General Assembly, starting on 24th September.
The New York Times, citing European officials, reported that the US is likely to approve Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles against Russia, on the condition that they are not American-supplied weapons.
Six UK diplomats were identified by name on Russian state television, which also displayed their photographs. In addition, surveillance footage, including covert video of a British diplomat meeting with someone, was released to Russian media.
"The English did not take our hints about the need to stop this practice (of carrying out intelligence activities inside Russia), so we decided to expel these six to begin with," an FSB employee whose identity was hidden told the Rossiya-24 state TV channel.
The FSB stated that Russia would request other British diplomats to leave early if they were found to be involved in similar activities. The *Izvestia* newspaper cited the FSB, accusing the British diplomats of recruiting Russian teenagers, organising so-called provocations, and holding meetings with opposition figures at the British ambassador’s residence in Moscow.
It further alleged that British diplomats were collaborating with Russian activists to sow divisions in Russian society, particularly around ethnic groups and migrants. According to the FSB, many individuals coordinating the UK's efforts on Ukraine from London and Kyiv were linked to the MI6 foreign intelligence service, though no specific details were provided.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added that the actions of the British embassy in Moscow had far exceeded the limits of the Vienna diplomatic conventions.
"More importantly, it is not just a question of formality and non-compliance with declared activities, but of subversive actions aimed at damaging our people," Zakharova said on Telegram.
Image source: Reuters
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