Russia has ordered a British diplomat to leave the country over allegations of spying, the latest in a series of expulsions of embassy staff from both sides.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) claims the man provided false information when applying to enter the country, as well as trying to obtain sensitive information during informal economic meetings, according to state media reports.
The FSB identified that the Second Secretary of the Embassy, Janse Van Rensburg Albertus Gerardus, was collecting information on the Russian economy. The diplomat has had their accreditation revoked and has been ordered to leave the country within two weeks.
A UK Foreign Office spokesman called the move “complete nonsense” and accused Russia of an “aggressive and co-ordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats”.
In a statement, they said Russia has been “pumping out malicious and completely baseless accusations about their work”.
“The UK does not stand for intimidation of British embassy staff and their families,” they added.
The FSB claims the diplomat “intentionally provided false information” when obtaining a permit to enter Russia, and that there were “signs of intelligence activities” detected, according to state news agency Tass.
