Russia expels British military attache in diplomatic tit for tat

The union flag flies from the British ambassador’s car in Moscow. The Kremlin has indicated it plans further action against the British diplomatic mission. Photograph: Pavel Golovkin/AP

Russia is expelling Britain’s defence attache to Moscow in the latest diplomatic tit for tat, after the UK accused it of sponsoring espionage and hacking attacks against top British officials in a years-long campaign of “malign activity”.

The Russian foreign ministry said it had declared the British defence attache, Adrian Coghill, as “persona non grata. He must leave the territory of the Russian Federation within a week.”