On Friday, Russia’s FSB security service announced the revocation of accreditation for six British diplomats in Moscow, citing allegations of espionage and sabotage.

This action reflects the Kremlin’s displeasure with what it perceives as London’s significant involvement in supporting Ukraine. The British government dismissed these claims as “completely baseless,” interpreting the move as a retaliatory measure following the UK’s expulsion of the Russian defense attaché and the revocation of diplomatic status for several Russian properties in May.

The expulsions were declared just hours before discussions in Washington between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Joe Biden, which are pivotal for securing approval for Ukraine to deploy long-range missiles against Russian targets.

President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that if the West permitted Ukraine to attack Russian territory with Western-supplied long-range missiles, it would signify a direct confrontation with Russia, fundamentally changing the dynamics of the conflict.

The Kremlin asserted that Putin had conveyed a clear and unequivocal message to the West, which it believes was duly noted. Washington and London regard Iran’s recent provision of ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine, as reported by U.S. officials this week, as a significant escalation, prompting accelerated discussions regarding Ukraine’s long-range missile capabilities, according to three Western sources.

Both Russia and Iran have denied these allegations. The FSB, the principal successor to the Soviet KGB, claimed to possess documents indicating that a British Foreign Office department responsible for Eastern Europe and Central Asia was orchestrating what it termed “the escalation of the political and military situation,” with the objective of ensuring Russia’s strategic defeat in its conflict with Ukraine.

The FSB’s statement concluded that the evidence presented warranted the classification of the activities of the British diplomats in Moscow as a threat to the security of the Russian Federation.