The embassy representative was given two weeks to leave the country
Russia is expelling the second secretary of the British embassy in Moscow. The FSB accused the diplomat of espionage and gathering secret information.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the press service of the FSB of Russia and The Independent.
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FSB: the diplomat allegedly gathered secret data
The second secretary of the British embassy in Moscow, Jansen van Rensburg Albertus Gerardus, has been ordered to leave Russia within two weeks.
The FSB stated that its counterintelligence officers discovered “undeclared presence of intelligence agencies”.
According to the agency, the diplomat “carried out intelligence and subversive activities threatening the security of the Russian Federation”.
In particular, he allegedly attempted to obtain confidential information about the Russian economy during informal meetings with local experts.
Additionally, the FSB claims that when applying for entry into Russia, Rensburg “intentionally provided false information about himself, thereby violating Russian legislation”.
The decision to revoke Rensburg’s accreditation was made by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with “interested agencies”. The diplomat has been instructed to leave the country within two weeks, and Russians are advised to refrain from communication with British diplomats.
Deterioration in relations between Britain and Russia
This is not the first such incident. In January 2026, Russia also expelled a British diplomat, after which the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that it would not tolerate “the activities of undeclared British intelligence officers in Russia”.
At the same time, before Christmas, Russian diplomats “got lost” during a tour of the British Parliament building and ended up in a restricted area. Russia could have used them as spies.
Meanwhile, the issue of the Russian shadow fleet has escalated. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced sanctions against it, and then British special forces were granted the right to stop and board vessels of this fleet in British waters – along with Northern European allies.
According to media reports, the fleet consists of more than a thousand old tankers that transport Russian oil under foreign flags, circumventing Western sanctions.
Additionally, Britain will intercept Russian tankers. As a result, they will need to take detours.
Previously, Estonia expelled a Russian diplomat from the country. He was declared a persona non grata.
