Britain has expelled a Russian diplomat after summoning Russia’s ambassador in London, describing the move as a reciprocal response to Moscow’s expulsion of a British diplomat last month on allegations of espionage.
The British government said on Monday (2 February) that the decision followed Russia’s earlier move to expel a UK diplomat, whom Moscow accused of being an undeclared spy.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said Russia’s accusations were “baseless” and described the expulsion of the British diplomat as “unprovoked and unjustified.”
“Summoning the Russian ambassador, a senior FCDO official made it clear that the UK will not stand for intimidation of British embassy staff,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We are therefore taking reciprocal action today by revoking the accreditation of a Russian diplomat.”
Britain also warned Moscow against continuing what it described as hostile actions towards its diplomatic staff.
“Any further action taken by Russia will be considered an escalation and responded to accordingly,” the spokesperson added.
The diplomatic row comes amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, during which Russia and Western countries have repeatedly accused each other of running espionage operations of an intensity not seen since the Cold War. Western diplomats stationed in Moscow have reported being subjected to intrusive surveillance and harassment.
The Russian embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Source: Reuters
Published: 2 February 2026
Reporter: Reuters