In a latest move highlighting simmering tensions, Russia's FSB security service has revoked the credentials of six British diplomats in Moscow, accusing them of spying and sabotage activities. This action comes as a response to what Russia perceives as the United Kingdom's significant role in supporting Ukraine. The British government has denounced the allegations as "completely baseless," considering it a retaliatory move after the UK expelled the Russian defense attache and downgraded diplomatic status for several Russian properties earlier this year.

Russia's expulsion of the British diplomats was announced just hours before British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's crucial meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington. The talks aimed to garner support for Kyiv's use of long-range missiles against Russian targets. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a strong warning, stating that allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles would fundamentally change the nature and scale of the conflict.

The Kremlin has declared that Putin's message to the West has been delivered loud and clear, implying that it demands to be taken seriously. Western sources, including Washington and London, perceive Iran's recent delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia for potential use against Ukraine as a dramatic escalation, expediting discussions surrounding Ukraine's acquisition of long-range missiles. Both Russia and Iran have denied any involvement in such deliveries.

The FSB, formerly the Soviet KGB, claims to possess documents revealing that a British foreign office department in London responsible for Eastern Europe and Central Asia was actively coordinating actions to escalate the political and military situation, ultimately seeking Russia's strategic defeat in the ongoing war against Ukraine. In response, the FSB stated that the activities of these diplomats posed a threat to the security of the Russian Federation.

British authorities have dismissed the accusations as baseless retaliatory measures, stating that the Russian government had revoked the diplomats' accreditation last month in response to previous actions taken by the UK government against Russian state-directed activities across Europe and the UK.

This latest move by Russia to expel British diplomats further escalates tensions between Moscow and London, particularly as Prime Minister Starmer arrives in Washington to discuss the approval of Britain's Storm Shadow missiles for Ukraine's use. These missiles possess a range of over 155 miles into Russian territory and have been a longstanding demand from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Sources indicate that a potential decision on Ukraine's use of Western long-range missiles against Russian targets may be made during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, commencing on September 24th. According to reports, the US is likely to grant approval with the condition that the weaponry used is not provided by the United States.

The Russian state TV has named and displayed photographs of the six expelled UK diplomats, along with the release of surveillance footage showing covert video of one diplomat meeting an undisclosed individual. The FSB employee revealed on the Rossiya-24 state TV channel that Russia had decided to expel these diplomats due to their disregard of warnings to halt intelligence activities within the country. The FSB further warned that if other British diplomats were also found to be involved in similar activities, they too would be asked to leave Russia prematurely.

According to Izvestia, a Russian newspaper, the FSB accuses the British diplomats of recruiting Russian teenagers, orchestrating provocations, and conspiring with opposition figures at the British ambassador's residence in Moscow. Additionally, the FSB alleges that many individuals involved in coordinating Britain's efforts regarding Ukraine, both in London and Kyiv, are operatives of MI6, the British foreign intelligence service. However, no specific details were provided.

Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, has argued that the British embassy's activities in Moscow have surpassed the boundaries set by the Vienna diplomatic conventions. She emphasizes that these actions were not merely procedural violations but rather subversive acts aimed at harming the Russian people.

The expulsion of British diplomats by Russia serves as another contentious episode in the longstanding feud between Moscow and London. As tensions continue to rise, the international community watches closely for any potential escalation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.