
Russia said on Friday (September 13) that it had cancelled the accreditation of six British diplomats stationed in Moscow, alleging their actions showed signs of "spying and sabotage," according to the Russian FSB security service.
The FSB claimed it possessed documents proving that a department within the British foreign office in London was involved in coordinating efforts to escalate both political and military tensions. This department was reportedly tasked with ensuring Russia's defeat in its conflict with Ukraine.
"The facts revealed give grounds to consider the activities of British diplomats sent to Moscow by the directorate as threatening the security of the Russian Federation," the FSB stated.
“In this connection, on the basis of documents provided by the Federal Security Service of Russia and as a response to the numerous unfriendly steps taken by London, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, in co-operation with the agencies concerned, has terminated the accreditation of six members of the political department of the British Embassy in Moscow in whose actions signs of spying and sabotage were found,” FSB added.
Russian state television publicly identified the six diplomats, showing their photos during the broadcast. "The English did not take our hints about the need to stop this practice (of carrying out intelligence activities inside Russia),so we decided to expel these six to begin with," an FSB representative explained to the Rossiya-24 state TV channel.
The FSB also warned that other British diplomats could be asked to leave if they were found engaging in similar activities.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) is Russia's main internal security and counterintelligence agency, established in 1994 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was formed as one of the successor organisations to the KGB. The FSB's main duties include counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and overseeing military-related surveillance.
(With inputs from agencies)