Russia Expels British Diplomat Over Spy Allegations
The officer, named as Albertus Gerardus Janse van Rensburg, held the position of second secretary at the UK Embassy in Moscow. The FSB stated in a Monday release that the diplomat had deliberately submitted false information when applying for entry permission, placing him in direct violation of Russian law.
The agency further alleged that it had "recorded attempts to obtain sensitive information during informal meetings with Russian experts in the field of economics," and concluded that van Rensburg had engaged in activities "threatening the security of the Russian Federation."
In a parallel diplomatic move, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned UK chargé d'affaires Danae Dholakia to formally register Moscow's protest. Dholakia was spotted arriving at the ministry alongside van Rensburg, entering the building without addressing journalists waiting outside.
The expulsion lands against a backdrop of sharply deteriorating UK-Russia relations. Last week, London announced plans to work with fellow European NATO members to "close off UK waters, including the [English] Channel, for sanctioned vessels," with British authorities threatening to seize ships suspected of belonging to an alleged Russian 'shadow fleet.'
Moscow has flatly denied operating any such fleet, blasting the announcement as a "deeply hostile step" and accusing London of plotting to carry out "acts of piracy."
The tit-for-tat diplomatic tensions between the two nations show no sign of abating, with each fresh flashpoint further straining ties that have been in freefall since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
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