Putin expels two British diplomats from Russia accusing them of ‘spying’
10 March 2025, 08:20 | Updated: 10 March 2025, 08:22
Two British nationals have been expelled from Moscow after being accused of ‘spying’.
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The Kremlin stripped the man and woman of their accreditation for what Russia calls ‘an undeclared intelligence presence’.
A statement from the Kremlin's Federal Security Service says "Russia has uncovered signs of intelligence and subversive work by these diplomats, threatening the security of the Russian Federation."
"The Federal Security Service's counterintelligence operations exposed the unreported intelligence presence of the United Kingdom under the cover of the country's embassy in Moscow," an FSB statement cited by Russian news agency Tass reads.
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The expelled diplomats are connected to Britain’s embassy in Moscow. They have been given two weeks to leave the country, according to reports.
The Kremlin said a man, 34 and woman, 32, “will be stripped of their accreditation and must leave Russia within two weeks”. It is understood the individuals are a UK diplomat and the spouse of another diplomat.
Last November Russia said it was expelling a British diplomat for alleged spying.
The diplomat was reportedly a replacement one of six Brits who were expelled in August last year - also over espionage accusations.
The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said at the time that the accusations were baseless.
