Latest news with #SergeiSkripal
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Russia outlaws British Council as ‘undesirable organisation'
Russia on Thursday (June 5, 2025) banned the British Council as an 'undesirable organisation', as Moscow branded London the architect of global crisis and 'instigator of wars'. Relations between the two countries were at rock bottom even before Russia launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022, soured by a slew of espionage and interference scandals, including the 2018 poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal on British soil. Also read | War and talks: On Russia and Ukraine Russia's prosecutor general accused the British Council of trying to promote British interests 'under the guise of teaching English' and of supporting the 'LGBT movement', which Russia has outlawed as 'extremist'. 'Various projects are being implemented to systematically discredit the domestic and foreign policies of the Russian Federation,' it added. Moscow has labelled dozens of Western-backed organisations 'undesirable', a designation that outlaws their work in Russia and makes anybody who works for them liable to years-long jail sentences. State media reported that the FSB security services, which said it provided evidence for the decision, called Britain 'the main source of global crises, a provocateur and instigator of wars'. 'London organises coups, weakens not only its geopolitical enemies but also its closest allies, pits nations against each other and prevents the resolution of bloody conflicts that it unleashed,' Russia's RIA Novosti quoted the FSB as saying in a statement. Britain has been one of Ukraine's strongest backers since Russia began its military offensive. Russia under President Vladimir Putin has for years cracked down on independent civil society, outlawing groups and prosecuting dissenters in a campaign that has escalated amid the Ukraine conflict and been widely slammed by rights groups and the West.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Russia Bans British Council, Calls It 'Undesirable Organisation'
Russia on Thursday banned the British Council as an "undesirable organisation", as Moscow branded London the architect of global crisis and "instigator of wars". Relations between the two countries were at rock bottom even before Russia launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022, soured by a slew of espionage and interference scandals, including the 2018 poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal on British soil. Russia's prosecutor general accused the British Council of trying to promote British interests "under the guise of teaching English" and of supporting the "LGBT movement", which Russia has outlawed as "extremist". "Various projects are being implemented to systematically discredit the domestic and foreign policies of the Russian Federation," it added. Moscow has labelled dozens of Western-backed organisations "undesirable", a designation that outlaws their work in Russia and makes anybody who works for them liable to years-long jail sentences. State media reported that the FSB security services, which said it provided evidence for the decision, called Britain "the main source of global crises, a provocateur and instigator of wars". "London organises coups, weakens not only its geopolitical enemies but also its closest allies, pits nations against each other and prevents the resolution of bloody conflicts that it unleashed," Russia's RIA Novosti quoted the FSB as saying in a statement. Britain has been one of Ukraine's strongest backers since Russia began its military offensive. Russia under President Vladimir Putin has for years cracked down on independent civil society, outlawing groups and prosecuting dissenters in a campaign that has escalated amid the Ukraine conflict and been widely slammed by rights groups and the West.
The Independent
29-03-2025
- The Independent
Man discharged after coming into contact with mystery substance near Salisbury
A man has been medically discharged and police cordons lifted after he reportedly became ill having come into contact with an unknown substance near Salisbury. A Wiltshire Police statement said the emergency service response had been stood down after tests on the substance were revealed to be negative. The man, believed to be in his 40s, was assessed at the scene in Charles Road, Durrington, but did not require further treatment. A police cordon placed around the property has since been lifted. Chief Inspector Graham McLaughlin said: 'We appreciate the concern this incident has had in the community given the recent history and please be assured that the report was taken extremely seriously. 'Testing has been found to be negative and as a result the response and cordon has been lifted. 'I would like to thank specialist resources which came to assist from out of county for their time. 'I would also like to thank our partners in the Fire and Ambulance services for their support, and the public and local residents in Durrington for their patience while this incident was dealt with.' In 2018 Sergei Skripal, an ex-Russian military intelligence officer and British double agent, and his daughter Yulia were poisoned by a nerve agent in Salisbury. Both spent several weeks in a critical condition before being released from the hospital. Eighty-seven members of the public presented to the hospital and Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after exposure to the nerve agent, which was left in a discarded perfume bottle in nearby Amesbury.
Saudi Gazette
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
UK expels Russian diplomat and spouse in tit-for-tat move against Moscow
LONDON — The UK has revoked accreditation for a Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of two British embassy staff in Moscow this week. The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said on Wednesday that it was taking "immediate reciprocal action" after Russia accused two British diplomats of spying and gave them a fortnight to leave the country. The UK has rejected the claims, which were levelled on Monday, as "malicious" and "baseless". Russia's ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, was summoned by the FCDO and informed of the latest expulsions. No timeframe was given for the pair's departure. "During the past 12 months, Russia has pursued an increasingly aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats," the FCDO said in a statement. "It is clear that the Russian state is actively seeking to drive the British embassy in Moscow towards closure and has no regard for the dangerous escalatory impact of this." Expulsions of diplomats — both Western envoys working in Russia and Russians in the West — have become increasingly common since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In the past year alone, Russia has expelled seven British diplomats from the country over accusations of spying, which the UK has denied. Last May, the UK expelled Russia's defense attaché in London, claiming he was an undeclared intelligence officer, and shut down several Russian diplomatic premises, alleging they were being used for espionage. Moscow quickly retaliated by expelling the UK's defense attaché. And last month, London revoked the accreditation of another Russian diplomat, in retaliation to a similar move made by Moscow last November. Tensions escalated sharply in March 2018 when former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in the English city of Salisbury with the Novichok nerve agent. British authorities said the incident was a targeted murder attempt coming from Moscow, a claim the Kremlin described as nonsense. More recently, the UK has provoked Russia's ire through its military support for Kyiv and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's comments about the possibility of deploying British peacekeepers to Ukraine to enforce any peace deal. — Euronews
Euronews
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
UK expels Russian diplomat and spouse in tit-for-tat move against Moscow
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has revoked accreditation for a Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse in retaliation for expulsions announced in Moscow this week. ADVERTISEMENT The UK has revoked accreditation for a Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of two British embassy staff in Moscow this week. The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said on Wednesday that it was taking "immediate reciprocal action" after Russia accused two British diplomats of spying and gave them a fortnight to leave the country. The UK has rejected the claims, which were levelled on Monday, as "malicious" and "baseless". Russia's ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, was summoned by the FCDO and informed of the latest expulsions. No timeframe was given for the pair's departure. "During the past 12 months, Russia has pursued an increasingly aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats," the FCDO said in a statement. "It is clear that the Russian state is actively seeking to drive the British embassy in Moscow towards closure and has no regard for the dangerous escalatory impact of this." Expulsions of diplomats — both Western envoys working in Russia and Russians in the West — have become increasingly common since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In the past year alone, Russia has expelled seven British diplomats from the country over accusations of spying, which the UK has denied. Last May, the UK expelled Russia's defence attaché in London, claiming he was an undeclared intelligence officer, and shut down several Russian diplomatic premises, alleging they were being used for espionage. Moscow quickly retaliated by expelling the UK's defence attaché. And last month, London revoked the accreditation of another Russian diplomat, in retaliation to a similar move made by Moscow last November. Ties have been strained between Moscow and London for years. Tensions escalated sharply in March 2018 when former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in the English city of Salisbury with the Novichok nerve agent. British authorities said the incident was a targeted murder attempt coming from Moscow, a claim the Kremlin described as nonsense. More recently, the UK has provoked Russia's ire through its military support for Kyiv and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's comments about the possibility of deploying British peacekeepers to Ukraine to enforce any peace deal.
