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Russia lodges formal protest with UK over diplomat’s actions — Foreign Ministry

Russian diplomats urged that a strong recommendation be conveyed to London, advising British nationals — especially embassy staff — to "provide only accurate information about their past" when submitting visa applications

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. Moscow has lodged a strong protest with London over the unlawful activities of a UK embassy official, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"On March 30, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned UK charge d’affaires in Moscow Danae Dholakia and lodged a strong protest regarding information indicating that a diplomatic staff member of the UK Embassy knowingly provided false information about himself when obtaining permission to enter Russia, thereby violating Russian federal law," the ministry emphasized.

"Russian authorities have also received information suggesting that this employee is affiliated with UK intelligence services and may have been conducting espionage and sabotage activities on Russian territory," the statement noted.

The Foreign Ministry added that the UK side had been informed of the revocation of this individual’s accreditation due to a violation of Russian law and pursuant to Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Russian diplomats also urged that a strong recommendation be conveyed to London, advising British nationals—especially embassy staff—to "provide only accurate information about their past" when submitting visa applications. "The UK side was informed that previously uncovered instances of certain British diplomats knowingly providing false information about themselves had already served as grounds for our strong response," the statement noted.

"It was emphasized that Moscow will not tolerate the activities of undeclared UK intelligence officers on Russian territory. Our uncompromising stance on this issue will continue to be guided by national security interests. In addition, a warning was issued that, should London escalate the situation, Russia will respond immediately as necessary," the Foreign Ministry stated.

Earlier, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) identified signs of intelligence activities by the UK embassy’s Second Secretary Albertus Gerhardus Janse Van Rensburg. He has been stripped of his accreditation and ordered to leave Russia within two weeks.

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Foreign policy United Kingdom

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