Two UK embassy workers have been told to leave Moscow within two weeks, the agency has said
Two British diplomats have had their accreditation revoked in Russia after engaging in espionage activities, the Federal Security Service (FSB) has said.
In a statement on Monday, the agency said its operatives had “discovered an undeclared intelligence presence” at the UK Embassy in Moscow.
Two British diplomats were found to have been “carrying out intelligence and subversive work that threatens Russia’s security,” the statement alleged.
It has been established that the UK Embassy’s second secretary and the husband of the first secretary of the embassy’s political department intentionally provided false information when receiving permission to enter Russia, thus violating the country’s laws, the FSB said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, in cooperation with other agencies, therefore decided to revoke the accreditation of the two diplomats, ordering them to leave the country within two weeks, it added.
“The FSB will continue to counter intelligence and subversive activities of foreign intelligence services using all available means,” the statement read.
The Foreign Ministry in Moscow said it had summoned a representative of the British Embassy over the loss of accreditation by the two UK diplomats.
A video made by RT captured the British representative leaving the Foreign Ministry, while declining to answer questions about the effect of the incident on relations between Moscow and London.
In November, the FSB announced the expulsion of a British diplomat for “conducting intelligence and subversive work” and intentionally providing false information when entering Russia. At the time, the UK Foreign Office accused Moscow of making “malicious and baseless accusations against our staff.”
Six more British diplomats had been ordered out of the country on similar grounds in August, according to the agency.
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