MOSCOW, January 16, 2026: Russia has expelled a British diplomat from Moscow, accusing him of working as an undeclared officer for the United Kingdom’s intelligence services, in a move that further escalates already strained relations between Russia and the West amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, identified the diplomat as a second secretary at the British Embassy in Moscow.
According to the FSB, the diplomat was operating undercover on behalf of Britain’s intelligence services. Russian authorities said he has been given two weeks to leave the country. State media circulated images of the diplomat following the announcement.
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Britain’s chargé d’affaires in Moscow, Danae Dholakia, to formally protest what it described as unacceptable espionage activities.
In a statement, the ministry warned that Moscow would not tolerate the presence of undeclared British intelligence officers on its territory and cautioned that any escalation by London would be met with a “mirror” response. Protesters reportedly chanted anti-British slogans outside the foreign ministry during the diplomatic meeting.
The British government rejected the accusations, describing them as “malicious and baseless.” In a statement, the UK Foreign Office said it was carefully considering its response and accused the Kremlin of targeting British diplomats out of desperation.
It added that such actions undermine the basic conditions required for diplomatic missions to function effectively.
The incident comes against the backdrop of heightened espionage tensions between Russia and Western nations. Moscow has repeatedly alleged that intelligence agencies such as the CIA, Britain’s MI6, and France’s DGSE have intensified efforts to recruit Russians and steal sensitive information.
Western officials, in turn, accuse Russia’s intelligence agencies including the FSB, SVR, and GRU of conducting cyber attacks and sabotage operations across Europe, allegations Russia denies.
The latest expulsion underscores the deepening diplomatic rift and reflects a return to Cold War style intelligence confrontation.
