LONDON: The UK government on Wednesday raised tensions with the Kremlin by announcing the expulsion of a Russian defence attaché for being “an undeclared military intelligence officer”.
Interior Minister James Cleverly informed parliament of this decision, which also includes revoking the diplomatic status of several Russian-owned properties suspected of being used for intelligence purposes.
Among the properties targeted are one in Sussex, southern England, and another in London. Cleverly stated that these measures aim to address the apparent increase in “malign” Russian activity on UK soil, including an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked business allegedly orchestrated by the Kremlin. Last month, a British man with alleged links to the Wagner Group was charged in connection with the attack.
The UK has previously accused Russia of various aggressive actions, including the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter in Salisbury, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns. These actions have strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, with the UK maintaining a firm stance in support of Ukraine, a NATO ally.
Cleverly emphasized that the new measures are intended to send a clear message to Russia that such escalations will not be tolerated. He anticipated potential accusations of Russophobia and conspiracy theories from Moscow but asserted that the UK would not be swayed by such tactics.
In addition to expelling the Russian defence attaché and revoking diplomatic statuses, the UK also charged five Bulgarian nationals with conspiring to commit espionage on behalf of Russia. The government further linked Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to cyber activity incidents, including phishing campaigns targeting UK parliamentarians and interference with a UK think-tank focusing on defending democracy against disinformation.
The 2018 Salisbury poisoning attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia prompted the UK and its European allies to take action against Russian intelligence services. This included the expulsion of 23 undeclared Russian intelligence officers from the UK.
