LONDON: Britain said on Wednesday it was expelling a Russian diplomat after Moscow kicked out a UK envoy last month, in the latest tit-for-tat response over espionage claims.

“We strongly condemn Russia’s unjustified decision last month to expel another British diplomat and the malicious public smear campaign that followed,” a British government spokesperson said in a statement.

“This behaviour is wholly unacceptable, and we will not tolerate harassment or intimidation of our diplomatic staff.

“We have therefore summoned the Russian ambassador to announce we are taking reciprocal action, revoking the accreditation of a Russian diplomat.” The UK government did not say when exactly Andrei Kelin, Russia’s top envoy in Britain since 2019, was summoned.

Moscow and London have each expelled multiple embassy staff over the last decade, trading accusations of espionage.

Expulsions from one side have typically been followed by a tit-for-tat response from the other.

Russia last kicked out a British diplomat on March 30, over allegations he was working as a spy -- charges swiftly rejected by London as “complete nonsense”.

Previous tit-for-tat actions occurred in February and January, as relations between the two countries remain at a historic low point over the Ukraine war and longstanding spying allegations.

Wednesday’s statement, issued by the Foreign Office, accused Moscow of “repeated unprovoked and unjustified” actions which it said were “designed to disrupt our diplomatic work”. They “form part of a wider campaign of aggressive behaviour towards the UK”, it added, noting any further action by Russia will be treated as an escalation and met with a firm response.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2026