Since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022, there have been periodic tit-for-tat waves of punitive actions unleashed on diplomats on either side of the conflict between Moscow and the West.
This has often centered on accusations of spying and espionage. It's no secret that nations often use embassies and consulates to place deep cover intelligence operatives, often posing as diplomats. That's exactly what Russia is newly alleging in expelling six British diplomats on Friday.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has announced it has revoked the accreditation of six British officials, alleging they were in the country for espionage and were "threatening Russia's security."
"As a measure of reprisals to the multiple unfriendly acts of London, the Russian Foreign Ministry... has withdrawn the accreditation of six employees from the political department of the British Embassy in Moscow," the FSB said.
The diplomats stand accused of "subversive activities and intelligence" gathering, and the Russian agency further claims it possesses evidence of "coordination of an escalation in the international political and military situation."
This new action comes just after Britain's top diplomat, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, confirmed that his country is mulling giving Kiev Storm Shadow missiles with an authorization to mount long-range attacks on Russian territory.
This is being discussed in coordination with the US (and likely the rest of NATO), but it is an authorization which technically hasn't come yet.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in a Friday press briefing alleged that "the British embassy has largely flouted the limits set by the Vienna Convention." She said it is conspiring to inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia.
Her comments strongly suggest that Moscow's action against the diplomats is politically-motivated punishment for Britain's recent escalations in providing Ukraine with more money and arms.
London has called these allegations "completely basis" and has chalked it up to revenge for London previously expelling Russian diplomats and nefarious Moscow-linked entities.
The war has reached an extremely dangerous moment given that President Putin on Thursday warned that if the US and UK greenlight long-range strikes on Russian soil, this means NATO and Russia will be in an official state of war. Putin still has not ordered a full military mobilization of the country, which is a card he still holds.
