Moscow, Russia — Russia has ordered two British diplomats to leave the country within two weeks, accusing them of espionage and spreading false information.
On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned a representative from the British embassy to announce the expulsion. The ministry stated that the diplomats were involved in “providing false information and conducting intelligence and disruptive activities.”
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) identified the diplomats as Second Secretary Alkesh Odedra and Michael Skinner, the spouse of the First Secretary of the embassy’s political department. In a statement, the FSB claimed, “The Service’s counterintelligence operations exposed the unreported intelligence presence of the United Kingdom under the cover of the country’s embassy in Moscow.”
“On this basis, the Russian Foreign Ministry, in coordination with other relevant agencies, decided to strip Alkesh Odedra and Michael Skinner of accreditation,” the statement continued. “They are required to leave Russia within two weeks.”
The British government has yet to respond to these allegations. This move marks a significant escalation in tensions between Russia and the United Kingdom, adding strain to an already complex relationship.
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