LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said it would revoke accreditation for a Russian diplomat in response to a similar move by Russia earlier this week against British diplomats.
“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,” a foreign office spokesperson said in a statement announcing the move.
Russia accused two British diplomats on Monday of spying and gave them two weeks to leave the country – allegations Britain had rejected as “baseless”.
Moscow has been angered by Britain’s continued military support for Ukraine and by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent statements about putting British boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force.
Britain said it had summoned the Russian ambassador in London on Wednesday and made clear that it would not stand for the “intimidation” of its diplomats and staff.
“We have drawn a line under this incident and demand Russia do the same,” the foreign office spokesperson said. “Any further action taken by Russia will be considered an escalation and responded to accordingly.”
(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by William James)
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