Russia expels British diplomat after FSB accusations
Photo: British diplomat was expelled from Russia over the "classified data" (Getty Images)
Russia is expelling the second secretary of the British Embassy in Moscow. The FSB has accused the diplomat of espionage and collecting sensitive information, according to the FSB press service and The Independent.
FSB: diplomat allegedly collected classified data
The second secretary of the British Embassy in Moscow, Janse van Rensburg Albertus Gerardus, has been ordered to leave Russia within two weeks.
The FSB said its counterintelligence officers had revealed the "undeclared intelligence presence."
According to the agency, the diplomat was "carrying out intelligence and subversive activities that threaten the security of the Russian Federation."
In particular, he allegedly tried to obtain confidential information about the Russian economy during informal meetings with local experts.
The FSB also claims that, when applying for permission to enter Russia, Rensburg deliberately "provided false information about himself," thereby violating Russian law.
The decision to revoke Rensburg’s accreditation was made by Russia’s Foreign Ministry together with relevant agencies. The diplomat has been ordered to leave the country within two weeks, and Russian citizens have been advised to refrain from contact with British diplomats.
Tensions in UK-Russia relations
This is not the first such case. In January 2026, Russia also expelled a British diplomat, after which the Russian Foreign Ministry said it would not "tolerate the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers in Russia."
At the same time, ahead of Christmas, during a tour of the UK Parliament building, Russian diplomats managed to access its restricted area. Russia may have used them as spies.
Meanwhile, the issue of Russia’s shadow fleet has also intensified. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced sanctions against it, after which British special forces were granted the authority to stop and board vessels from this fleet in UK waters, together with northern European allies.
According to media reports, the fleet consists of more than a thousand old tankers transporting Russian oil under foreign flags to bypass Western sanctions.
In addition, the UK plans to intercept Russian tankers, forcing them to take longer routes.
Earlier, Estonia expelled a Russian diplomat, declaring him persona non grata.
