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Russia has officially expelled a top British diplomat from Moscow, accusing him of espionage.

What’s the deal: In a statement, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the expulsion of British diplomat Edward Wilkes, accusing him of espionage and intentionally providing false information during his visa application process. Wilkes, identified as a second secretary in the political department of the British Embassy in Moscow, was labeled a security threat by the FSB, which alleged he was involved in intelligence and subversive activities that endangered Russia’s national security. The FSB claimed that Wilkes replaced one of six UK diplomats expelled earlier in the year on similar charges.

The UK dismissed Russia’s accusations against Edward Wilkes as “baseless” and “malicious,” noting that this was not the first time such claims had been made against their personnel. A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated, “This is not the first time that Russia has made malicious and baseless accusations against our staff. We will respond in due course.” Downing Street echoed this sentiment, with a spokesperson adding, “To be clear, we refute these allegations,” and reaffirming that the UK government remains “unapologetic about protecting our national interests.” The UK also emphasized that its embassy in Moscow would continue its critical work to support British interests despite the diplomatic challenges.

This all comes as relations between Russia and the UK have plummeted to post-Cold War lows, fueled by the UK’s strong support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. The UK has recently supplied advanced weaponry, including Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which Ukraine recently used for the first time in strikes on Russian territory, a move that has further infuriated Moscow. President Vladimir Putin cited the use of these British-made missiles, alongside U.S.-supplied ATACMS ballistic missiles, as justification for Russia’s retaliatory launch of a ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.