Russia expels UK diplomat on espionage charges

Russia on Monday expelled a British diplomat on charges of espionage and ordered him to leave the country within two weeks, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

“A decision has been made to revoke Janse Van Rensburg’s accreditation, and he has been ordered to leave Russia within two weeks,” the FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said.

On Monday, the British Charge d’Affaires in Russia, Danae Dholakia, was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served a strong protest following revelations that one of the diplomatic staff at the British Embassy had “knowingly provided false information” about himself when obtaining entry into the country, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

During its counterintelligence activities, the FSB identified an undeclared UK intelligence presence under the guise of the British Embassy in Moscow, it said.

“Due to the violation of Russian legislation and in accordance with Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, the British side was informed of the revocation of the accreditation of this person,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, an FSB investigation revealed that the second secretary had intentionally falsified information on his visa application, a direct violation of Russian law.

In addition, the bureau identified signs of Rensburg’s involvement in “intelligence” and “subversive activities” that posed a threat to Russia’s security.

In January, Moscow had expelled a second secretary of the British Embassy after the FSB uncovered his spying activities.