UK accuses Russia of driving its Moscow embassy towards closure

The British embassy in Moscow. The Foreign Office described claims of espionage against its diplomat as ‘fabricated’. Photograph: Maxim Shipenkov/EPA

Russia is attempting to push the UK embassy in Moscow towards closing and has no regard for the escalatory impact of such a move, the Foreign Office has said.

The UK expelled a Russian diplomat and their spouse on Wednesday in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of a British diplomat and a diplomatic spouse over allegations of espionage that UK officials strenuously deny.