The United Kingdom has revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat in a retaliatory move following Russia’s decision to expel a British diplomat, escalating diplomatic tensions between London and Moscow.
In a statement released on Monday, the UK government said the decision was taken after Russia expelled a British diplomat last month and subjected the individual to what it described as a ‘public smear campaign’.
British authorities said the move was intended to send a clear message that intimidation of UK diplomatic staff will not be tolerated.
“The UK has today revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat,” the statement said.
“This follows Russia’s unprovoked decision to expel a British diplomat and subject them to a public smear campaign. We will not tolerate intimidation of our staff.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) strongly condemned Russia’s actions, describing them as unjustified and politically motivated.
An FCDO spokesperson said the British government had raised the matter directly with Moscow through formal diplomatic channels.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified decision to expel a British diplomat last month and its baseless accusations against our staff,” the spokesperson said.
According to the FCDO, a senior official summoned the Russian Ambassador to formally protest the expulsion and convey the UK’s response.
The official made clear that London views the treatment of its diplomatic personnel as unacceptable and contrary to international norms governing diplomatic relations.
“Summoning the Russian Ambassador, a senior FCDO official made it clear that the UK will not stand for intimidation of British Embassy staff and so we are taking reciprocal action today, revoking the accreditation of a Russian diplomat,” the spokesperson said.
The UK also warned that any further hostile measures taken by Russia would be treated as a serious escalation and would prompt a firm response.
The government linked the latest diplomatic dispute to broader tensions over the war in Ukraine, which has continued to strain relations between Russia and Western countries.
“It is deeply disappointing that Russia continually seeks to disrupt the work of the UK’s diplomatic missions and deter our support for Ukraine,” the spokesperson added.
“Any further action taken by Russia will be considered an escalation and responded to accordingly.”
Diplomatic expulsions and reciprocal measures have become increasingly common since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with several countries taking steps to limit each other’s diplomatic presence.
The UK said it remains committed to protecting its diplomatic staff and upholding international law, while continuing to engage with allies in support of Ukraine.
No details were immediately provided on the identity of the Russian diplomat whose accreditation was revoked.
