- Diplomat given two weeks to leave Russia
- London calls accusations “malicious and baseless”
- Another flashpoint in already frozen ties
Russia has expelled a British diplomat, ordering the official to leave the country within two weeks, in the latest episode of tit-for-tat actions between Moscow and London.
Russia’s foreign ministry said it had received information suggesting that a diplomatic employee at the British embassy was affiliated with UK intelligence. In a post shared on the Telegram channel of Sergey Lavrov, the ministry said the British deputy head of mission, Danae Dholakia, had been summoned and informed of the decision.
According to the ministry, Moscow would not “tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers in Russia” and warned that any escalation by London would be met with a “decisive mirror response”, as quoted in a news report.
A familiar pattern of accusations
The expelled diplomat was later identified by Russian authorities as Gareth Samuel Davies, listed as second secretary at the British embassy. Russia’s security service said his accreditation had been revoked and he was required to leave within 14 days.
Such expulsions are rarely isolated. Russia and the UK have repeatedly removed each other’s diplomats over the past few years, especially since the war in Ukraine began in 2022. Moscow has long described Britain as one of the most hostile Western states, and relations were strained even before the conflict.
Britain has been one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters since Russia’s invasion, a position that has further hardened Moscow’s stance towards London.
London pushes back
The Foreign Office rejected Russia’s claims, calling them “malicious and baseless”. A spokesperson reportedly said Moscow’s actions came “out of desperation” and undermined the basic conditions needed for diplomatic missions to operate.
“This is not the first time the Kremlin has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying in a news report, adding that the UK was carefully considering its response.
The most recent round follows a similar episode in March last year, when Russia expelled a British diplomat and the spouse of another, again alleging espionage. The UK responded by expelling a Russian diplomat, with then foreign secretary David Lammy accusing Moscow of a “relentless and unacceptable campaign of intimidation” against British embassy staff.
Diplomatic contacts between the two countries remain minimal. The last known direct conversation between a UK prime minister and Vladimir Putin took place in February 2022, days before Russian troops entered Ukraine. Since then, accusations, expulsions and warnings of retaliation have become a familiar rhythm in an already fractured relationship.
