Russia expels British diplomat and spouse for ‘intelligence work’

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday that two people connected to Britain’s embassy in Moscow had been ordered to leave the country for performing intelligence work, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

It cited the FSB as saying that both individuals had deliberately declared false information about themselves when entering Russia and that the FSB had uncovered what it called “signs of intelligence and sabotage work” by both which threatened Russia’s national security.

They had been given two weeks to leave Russia, TASS reported.

There was no immediate comment from Britain.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it had summoned a representative of the British embassy in Moscow, after two employees of the mission were ordered to leave Russia for alleged intelligence activity.