UK says 'carefully considering' response after Russia expels British diplomat

LONDON

The UK Foreign Office on Thursday said it is "carefully considering" options after a UK diplomat has been expelled from Russia, accused of "being a spy."

"This is not the first time the Kremlin has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff," a Foreign Office spokesperson said in response to Anadolu's question after Moscow expelled a British diplomat.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced earlier on Thursday that it is expelling a British Embassy employee, accusing the diplomat of having an affiliation with intelligence services.

"Their targeting of British diplomats comes out of desperation and actions like this undermine the basic conditions required for diplomatic missions to operate," said the spokesperson.

"We are carefully considering our options in response."

It came after the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it summoned the deputy head of the British diplomatic mission to Russia, Danae Dholakia, to lodge an official protest about the "affiliation of one of the diplomatic staff of the embassy with British intelligence services."

In March 2025, the UK Foreign Office expelled a Russian diplomat, an action taken in response to Moscow's expulsion of a British diplomat in November 2024.