The British diplomat’s accreditation has already been revoked and he has two weeks to leave Russia, the BBC reports on the situation. The British Foreign Office described the Russian move as “absolute nonsense” and accused Moscow of an “aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment of British diplomats”. “Great Britain does not tolerate intimidation of employees of the British embassy and their families,” reads the statement of British diplomacy.
Due to the accusations against van Rensburg, the Russian Foreign Ministry also summoned the British chargé d’affaires Danae Dholakia. According to media reports, she left the ministry without any comment.
Diplomatic relations between Russia and Britain deteriorated significantly after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. From February 2022, the two countries then mutually expelled a number of diplomats. Van Rensburg is already the second British diplomat expelled by Russia this year due to alleged espionage.
Moscow presented the same justification for the expulsion of two British representatives last March. London then reacted by expelling the Russian diplomat and the unnamed partner of the diplomatic worker.
