Russia expels British diplomat accused of spying

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB, former KGB) announced this Tuesday (26) the decision to expel a British diplomat for carrying out alleged espionage activities that threaten national security.

“Indications were detected that the aforementioned diplomat carried out subversive and espionage activities that threaten the security of the Russian Federation,” states the official statement, published by the Interfax news agency.

The FSB specifies that the second secretary of the political department of the British embassy provided “false data” when requesting entry into Russian territory, which “violated Russian legislation”, which is why his diplomatic credential was revoked.

The note mentions the name of the diplomat, Wilkes Edward Pryor, something unusual in these cases, as it is normally the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who publishes this type of news.

The FSB also stated that Pryor, who has two weeks to leave Russia, replaced one of the six diplomats expelled last August also on espionage charges.

In turn, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, announced that the British ambassador had been summoned to the chancellery this Tuesday.

In May, London announced that it would expel Russia’s defense official in the United Kingdom as “an undeclared military intelligence agent.”

Additionally, British Home Secretary James Cleverly announced in the House of Commons that several Russian diplomatic facilities operating in the country would be closed.

London has also assured that it will impose restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas, including a limit on the period of time they can stay in the UK.