The United Kingdom has taken a strong stance against Russia, expelling a Russian diplomat accused of being a spy and imposing restrictions on Russian diplomatic privileges. Interior Minister James Cleverly announced the expulsion of the Russian defence attaché, whom he described as an “undeclared military intelligence officer.” Additionally, diplomatic status will be removed from several Russian-linked properties in the U.K. and new restrictions will be placed on Russian diplomatic visas.
Cleverly made the announcement in the House of Commons, stating that these measures are a response to what he called “apparent escalations” by Russia. He emphasized that this action is part of a broader pattern of Russian behavior across Europe, including sabotage activities in Ukraine, espionage in various countries, cyber attacks, airspace violations, and GPS jamming affecting civil aviation.
The move comes after Estonia accused Russia of jamming GPS signals, leading to serious damage to Estonian air traffic. Last month, a British man was charged with alleged hostile state activity benefiting Russia, including recruiting individuals for an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked property in London.
In response to British allegations, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed them as absurd and part of an information war. The escalating tensions between the U.K. and Russia highlight the ongoing geopolitical challenges facing Europe.