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Russia has accused six British diplomats in Moscow of spying, in a move branded as “completely baseless” by the UK Foreign Office.
The FSB security service said the Russian foreign ministry has terminated the accreditation of six employees in the British Embassy in Moscow’s political department.
The move was in response to “numerous unfriendly steps” by London and after “signs of spying and sabotage” were found in the actions of the diplomats, the FSB said in a statement.
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The accusations made today by the FSB against our staff are completely baseless.”
“We are unapologetic about protecting our national interests,” the statement added.
This comes as President Vladimir Putin warned Nato will be directly at war with Moscow if the US and UK allow Kyiv to use longer-range weapons against targets inside Russia.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has since said it is “difficult to repeatedly hear” Western allis say they are “working on” a decision to free up long-range missiles to be used deep inside Ukraine while “Putin continues to burn down our cities and villages”.
Key Points
- Putin warns of war with Nato
- UK Foreign Office says Russian accusations against British diplomats are ‘completely baseless’
- Zelensky calls for quick decision on long-range missiles
- Russia expels six British diplomats it accuses of spying and sabotage
- Starmer in Washington for talks with Biden on Ukraine missile use
Kremlin declines comment on Ukrainian claim that Russia struck grain ship in Black Sea
The Kremlin has declined to comment after Ukraine said Russia used strategic bombers to strike a civilian grain vessel in Black Sea waters near NATO member Romania on Thursday.
Ukraine and Romania both condemned the attack on the ship, which was carrying Ukrainian grain to Egypt and was hit just after it left Ukrainian territorial waters.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred reporters’ questions to the Russian military.
Jabed Ahmed13 September 2024 14:53 1726234529Kremlin says Russian expulsion of UK diplomats is not about severing diplomatic ties with London
Russia’s decision to expel six British diplomats over espionage concerns is not related to any effort to sever diplomatic ties with London, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
Earlier today, Russia’s FSB security service said it had revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow after accusing them of spying and sabotage work, signalling the Kremlin’s anger at what it sees as London’s vital role in helping Ukraine.
Chris Stevenson13 September 2024 14:35 1726233934Zelensky calls for quick decision on long-range missiles
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said it is “difficult to repeatedly hear” Western allis say they are “working on” a decision to free up long-range missiles to be used deep inside Ukraine while “Putin continues to burn down our cities and villages”
Mr Zelensky has been calling for the US and UK to agree to allow them to strike infrastructure such as airfields that contributes to the barrages of missiles and drones that strike across Ukraien on a near-daily basis.
The president wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that: “Putin interprets delays in helping us and in making strong decisions for Ukraine as permission to do whatever he wants.”
Chris Stevenson13 September 2024 14:25 1726231949What is the Storm Shadow cruise missile? The British weapon banned from use in Russia by Ukrainian troops
Until now the Storm Shadow missiles have been limited to Russian targets operating inside Ukraine, as well as in occupied Crimea. The missiles were likely used in the largest Ukrainian attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea fleet last year at Sevastopol.
British Storm Shadow missiles have a range of more than 150 miles and can be fired by Ukrainian aircraft. Kyiv has long lobbied for permission to hit deep inside Russian soil via the western long-range missiles.
Manufacturer MBDA has said that the missile, which is fired from an aircraft, carries a range of around 155 miles and is designed to evade detection despite flying low after being launched.
Powered by a turbo-jet engine, the 1,300kg Storm Shadow travels at speeds of more than 600mph, is just over five metres long and has a wingspan of three metres.
After launch, the weapon, equipped with its own navigation system, descends to a low altitude to avoid detection before locking on to its target using an infra-red seeker.
On final approach the missile climbs to a higher altitude to maximise the chances of hitting the target.
Jabed Ahmed13 September 2024 13:52 1726230209Starmer stares down Putin as he and Biden prepare to hand Ukraine missiles
The Independent’s Political Editor David Maddox reports from Washington DC:
Starmer stares down Putin as he and Biden prepare to hand Ukraine missiles
Prime minister set to hold intensive talks with US president to thrash out victory plan for war in Ukraine as Putin threatens war with Nato
Jabed Ahmed13 September 2024 13:23 1726228409Russian attack kills two and injures six in Ukraine’s Sumy region
A Russian guided bomb attack has killed two people and injured six others, including a child, in Ukraine‘s northern Sumy region, local authorities said.
The attack damaged residential houses and a clinic, and cut power supplies, the regional military administration said on Telegram.
Jabed Ahmed13 September 2024 12:53 1726226549Romania ‘strongly condemns’ Russia's 'deliberate attack on cargo ship' with Ukrainian grain
Romania’s foreign ministry has condemned a Russian attack against a cargo ship loaded with Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea.
Russia reportedly struck the Turkish-operated merchant vessel Aya with a cruise missile at around 11pm local time on Wednesday within Romania’s exclusive economic zone.
The ship, which was carrying 26,550 metric tons of grain to Egypt from the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, suffered damage. None of the crew were injured.
“This event represents an unprecedented escalation of Russia’s illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine,” the Romanian foreign ministry’s statement said.
“Deliberately attacking a cargo ship is a serious violation of international humanitarian legal norms governing the conduct of war at sea.”
The statement added: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the Russian Federation’s violation of the United Nations Charter through the systematic and irresponsible bombing of Ukrainian infrastructure and grain-carrying ships.”
Russia has not commented on the incident.
Jabed Ahmed13 September 2024 12:22 1726224869China and Russia take aim at West during annual security forum in Beijing
Chinese and Russian defence officials have chided at the West at a military diplomacy forum in Beijing, with China pitching to the Global South and Russia saying the United States was shifting military conflicts to the Asia-Pacific.
In a wide-ranging speech to the annual Xiangshan Forum, China’s defence minister, Dong Jun, said China would enhance military ties with its neighbours and with developing countries in particular.
Russian deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin was more explicit, saying in his speech that the United States was trying to contain China and Russia while preparing for war in Asia by creating new security blocs.
“Russia and China support the creation of a just, multipolar world order based on equality and mutual respect,” he said.
“In order to create conditions to force Russia into negotiations based on Kyiv’s formulas, NATO countries plan to send troops to Ukraine,” he added.
“This is a dangerous game which can lead to a direct conflict of nuclear powers.”
NATO has said repeatedly it has no plans to send troops to Ukraine.
Jabed Ahmed13 September 2024 11:54 1726223009France summons Iran’s chief diplomat in Paris over tensions on ballistic missiles
France’s foreign ministry has summoned Iran’s chief diplomatic in the country over the alleged transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, a diplomatic source said on Friday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran and would likely use them in its war in Ukraine within weeks.
Iran has denied these claims.
Jabed Ahmed13 September 2024 11:23 1726220969Watch: Putin says West will be fighting directly with Russia if it lets Kyiv use long-range missiles
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