Russia has ordered Danae Dholakia, the British deputy head in Russia, to leave the country within two weeks, claiming she works for Britain secret intelligence services.
Russia’s foreign minister posted an updated on their Telegram channel, stating they will not ‘tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers in Russia.’
“A warning was also issued that if London escalates the situation, the Russian side will give a decisive ‘mirror’ response,” the ministry added, suggesting Russia would take matching retaliatory action if needed.
The UK Foreign ministry rejected the accusations and claimed they are baseless.
“This is not the first time the Kremlin has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff,” the spokesperson said. “Their targeting of British diplomats comes out of desperation and actions like this undermine the basic conditions required for diplomatic missions to operate. We are carefully considering our options in response.”
Both the countries have been expelling each other diplomats since the start of Ukraine war. In March last year, Russia expelled a British diplomat along with the spouse of another diplomat, also claiming they were spies. Britain responded to that March expulsion by removing a Russian diplomat from the UK.
The diplomatic relationship between Russia and Western countries has deteriorated significantly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Embassy staff reductions, expulsions, and accusations of espionage have become common tactics in the escalating tensions. These actions reflect the deep mistrust and hostility that now characterizes relations between Russia and much of the Western world.
Interestingly, despite the tensions between Russia and European nations, there had been some discussion about improving diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States. Early last year, Russia and the US pledged to rebuild staffing levels at their embassies as part of what appeared to be a charm offensive toward Moscow by US President Donald Trump. However, this approach received widespread criticism from European allies who remained deeply concerned about Russian aggression and felt such outreach undermined their unified stance against Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
The current expulsion of the British diplomat demonstrates that despite any warming in US-Russia relations, the relationship between Russia and the UK remains deeply strained. Britain has been one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, providing military aid and backing for Kyiv throughout the conflict, which has further soured its relationship with Moscow.
As the situation develops, both countries are now considering their next moves. The UK is reviewing its response options, while Russia has made clear it stands ready to take further action if it feels provoked. This cycle of diplomatic expulsions and counter-expulsions shows no signs of ending as long as broader geopolitical tensions remain unresolved.
