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Russian embassy expresses regret over London’s new restrictions

Earlier in the day, UK Home Secretary James Cleverly announced in parliament that the British authorities will expel Russia’s defense attache, impose new restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas and remove diplomatic status from some Russian properties

LONDON, May 8. /TASS/. The UK’s new sanctions seriously complicate the work of the Russian diplomatic mission, the embassy said, commenting of London’s intention to expel Russia’s military attache, lift the diplomatic status from Russian real estate and toughen visa issuance rules for diplomats.

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UK announces expulsion of Russian defense attache, new diplomatic visa restrictions

"On May 8, London announced new restrictive measures, which seriously complicate the work of the Russian diplomatic mission in the United Kingdom, in particular, by breaking certain communications channel. As it happened in the past more than once, the new measures have been imposed under a groundless and even ridiculous (this time, a fire at a warehouse in eastern London), but they are seeking to inflate it into another spying story," the embassy said.

"But, as far as we could see, the signs of preparations for these hostile steps appeared some six months ago. The relevant campaign of blaming us for everything has been whipped up over all this time," it said. "It is deplorable that amid the heightened international tensions, when a dialogue is badly needed to prevent further escalation, London continues to demonstrate hawkishness and undermine the remaining ties. Naturally, an appropriate response of the Russian side will follow."

Earlier in the day, UK Home Secretary James Cleverly announced in parliament that the British authorities will expel Russia’s defense attache, impose new restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas and remove diplomatic status from some Russian properties. He said that this is a message to Moscow in response to its actions allegedly aimed at undermining British assistance to Ukraine.

According to the home secretary, London has taken action against Russia’s "malign activity" across the UK and Europe. He particularly mentioned the detention of five Bulgarian nationals on charges of spying for Russia, and an investigation into an arson attack on a Ukrainian company’s storage facilities in London in March 2024. The Crown Prosecution Service earlier said that it was a "hostile activity" aimed at benefiting Russia. Charges have been brought against five people.

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