Russia expels British diplomat from Moscow over spying claims

A British diplomat accused by Moscow of espionage has been ordered to leave Russia.

The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said the second secretary at the UK embassy in Moscow was ordered to leave within two weeks after counterintelligence officers uncovered “undeclared intelligence assets”.

According to reports in the Russian media, the FSB said it found signs that the diplomat was “engaged in intelligence and subversive activities that threaten the security of the Russian Federation.”

The FSB said that “the diplomat attempted to obtain sensitive information about the Russian economy, especially during informal meetings.”

They also claimed that he “gave false information about himself.”

It comes just days after Sir Keir Starmer announced British commandos could board and intercept Russia’s shadow fleet as it passes through British waters.

The Prime Minister said Britain would join its northern European allies in stopping the tankers, with the aim of “going after” ships that breach sanctions “even harder”.

Moscow’s shadow fleet reportedly consists of more than a thousand obsolete tankers.

Since the invasion of Ukraine began, they have been illegally sending oil and other goods from Russia, flying the flags of other countries, in an attempt to evade Western sanctions.

British forces have been involved in tracking shadow fleet ships for several years and have supported other countries’ seizure operations.

In January, Britain helped seize the oil tanker Marinera from the United States.

The Russian-flagged ship, previously known as Bella-1, was captured in the Atlantic by American forces with the assistance of RAF aircraft and the British supply ship RFA Tideforce.

Later that month, the Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Dagger helped the French capture another sanctioned ship, the Grinch, in the western Mediterranean and pursued the ship through the Strait of Gibraltar.

More to follow…