Russia expels British diplomat over ‘spying’ fears

The UK national made false statements when entering the country, Moscow’s security agency has said

An employee of the British Embassy in Moscow has been deemed a security threat, after Russian investigators found inconsistencies in his paperwork, the FSB security service announced on Tuesday.

The individual, who is suspected of being a spy, has been ordered to leave the country, the statement said.

The British official was identified as Wilks Edward Prior, who the FSB said holds the position of second secretary in the Embassy's political department. The agency claimed the man was sent to Moscow as a replacement for one of the six alleged intelligence officers that Russia expelled in August.

”When applying for a visa, [Prior] intentionally made false statements, which is a violation of Russian law,” the statement said. “The FSB also found signs that the diplomat was conducting intelligence and sabotage activities that threaten the security of the Russian Federation.”

The FSB noted that the Russian Foreign Ministry and other government bodies had weighed in on the decision to revoke Prior's diplomatic credentials and order him to leave Russia within two weeks.

The British Foreign Office and the Russian Foreign Ministry have yet to comment on the announcement.

After the FSB statement was issued, Russian media reported seeing an Embassy car driving towards the Foreign Ministry building. Ambassador Nigel Casey is believed to have been summoned to be formally notified about the development.

READ MORE: Russia expels six British diplomats

In mid-September, the FSB announced that it had determined six Embassy staff members to be security threats. The Russian agency claimed at the time that London was playing a key role in the “escalation of the international military-political situation” and the Western campaign to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.