British diplomat expelled from Russia after ‘baseless’ accusation of being a spy

Moscow’s allegation that unnamed diplomat is affiliated with UK secret service comes ‘out of desperation’, Foreign Office says

A British diplomat has been expelled from Russia over what the UK Foreign Office described as “malicious and baseless accusations” of being a spy.

The diplomat, who was not named, had two weeks to leave the country, the Russian foreign ministry said after it received information “regarding the affiliation of a diplomatic employee at the embassy with the British secret service”.