Russia expels UK diplomat accused of being a spy

Russia said Thursday it was expelling a British diplomat, calling him an undercover spy in an accusation blasted by London as "malicious" and "baseless."

The Kremlin has long singled out Britain as one of the most hostile Western states -- with relations virtually frozen even before Moscow's full-scale offensive on Ukraine.

The two countries have expelled each others' embassy staff several times in recent years.

Moscow-London ties have been plagued by spy allegations for decades and were already at their lowest point before Russia's 2022 Ukraine attack.

Since then, Britain has become one of Kyiv's strongest backers.

Russia's FSB security service named the man it was expelling as Gareth Samuel Davies -- listed on Moscow's official database of accredited diplomats as the embassy's second secretary.

Russia's foreign ministry summoned the UK's charge d'affaires, saying it issued a "strong protest" and that it had received information that "one of the embassy's diplomatic staff belongs to the UK's intelligence service."

"The individual's accreditation is being revoked. He is required to leave the Russian Federation within two weeks," the ministry said.

Expulsions by one side have typically been followed up by a tit-for-tat response from the other.

Russia warned Britain not to "escalate the situation," pledging to deliver a "firm symmetrical response" should London retaliate.

Britain said it was mulling next steps.

"This is not the first time the Kremlin has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

"We are carefully considering our options in response."

AFP