LONDON (Reuters): Russia’s FSB security service said on Friday it had revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow after accusing them of spying and sabotage work, signalling the Kremlin’s anger at what it sees as London’s vital role in helping Ukraine.
Britain described the accusations as “completely baseless”, saying it was a tit-for-tat action after the UK expelled the Russian defence attache and removed diplomatic status from several Russian properties in May.
Russia announced the expulsions hours before talks in Washington between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Joe Biden, a crucial step towards winning the go ahead for Kyiv to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia.
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the West would be directly fighting with Russia if it allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, a move he said would alter the nature and scope of the conflict.
The Kremlin said on Friday that Putin had delivered what it described as a clear and unambiguous message to the West which it was sure had been heard.
Washington and London see Iran’s delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia to use against Ukraine, announced by Washington this week, as a dramatic escalation and it had sped up talks on Ukraine’s long-range missile use, three Western sources said. Russia and Iran have denied any such deliveries.