The United Kingdom on Monday revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat, responding directly to Moscow’s decision last month to expel a British envoy. The move marks another sharp escalation in already strained relations between London and Moscow.
Confirming the action, the UK Foreign Office said it would not accept intimidation or harassment of its diplomatic staff. “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,” a spokesperson said.
A senior British official summoned the Russian ambassador to formally convey the decision, making it clear that London would not tolerate pressure tactics against its embassy personnel. The UK warned that any further steps by Russia would be viewed as escalation and would invite a firm response.
The decision follows Russia’s January 15 expulsion of a British diplomat from Moscow. At the time, the Russian foreign ministry summoned the UK charge d’affaires and announced the revocation of accreditation for Gareth Samuel Davies, alleging he was linked to British intelligence—an accusation the UK dismissed as “malicious” and “baseless.” Davies was ordered to leave Russia within two weeks, with Moscow warning of a “symmetrical response” if Britain retaliated.
London had earlier said it was considering its options, making Monday’s expulsion a predictable move under long-standing diplomatic norms.
UK–Russia relations have been at a historic low for years and worsened significantly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Britain has since become one of Ukraine’s strongest military and political supporters, further straining ties with the Kremlin.
The two countries have repeatedly expelled each other’s diplomats in recent years amid accusations of espionage and interference. Tensions long predate the Ukraine war, stretching back to incidents such as the 2006 poisoning of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko in London and the 2018 Novichok attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.
Since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, direct communication between Downing Street and the Kremlin has largely collapsed. The last known conversation between a British prime minister and Russian President Vladimir Putin took place in February 2022, just days before the invasion.