Russia expels British Military Attaché in tit-for-tat move amid escalating tensions
On May 16, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the British military attaché at the UK Embassy in Moscow, Adrian Coghill, persona non grata. He has been given one week to leave the Russian Federation. The Russian Foreign Ministry explained this move as a response to the expulsion of the Russian military attaché from the UK, labelling it "hostile and unfounded."
"This measure does not exhaust our reaction to the May 8 hostile anti-Russian actions by the British side. The initiators of the escalation will be informed about further countermeasures," a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry reads.
British Defence Secretary James Cleverly claimed that the Russian military attaché was an "undeclared military intelligence officer". Cleverly also announced that the UK government would strip several properties in Britain, linked to Russia, of their diplomatic status.
British publication The Telegraph speculated that the expulsion of the Russian attaché eliminates yet another communication channel between London and Moscow.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it considers the United Kingdom a "party to the conflict” and that Russia would target British military assets both in Ukraine and beyond. This statement came in response to an interview given by former British Prime Minister David Cameron to Reuters, where he said Ukraine could use British-provided weapons to strike targets in Russian territory.