Russia has revoked the accreditation of two British diplomats over alleged intelligence activities, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Monday, the latest in a series of tit-for-tat diplomatic rebukes that was quickly dismissed by London as “baseless.

Russia expels British diplomat and spouse of another days after Moscow spies convicted in London court - The timing of the expulsions raises suspicions of a tit-for-tat move by the Kremlin

Britain said it would revoke accreditation for a Russian diplomat in response to a similar move by Russia earlier this week against British diplomats.

The British government said it is expelling a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Russia doing the same to a UK diplomat earlier this week. Russia’s Ambassador Andrey Kelin was summoned to the Foreign Office to face criticism for what UK officials called an ‘increasingly aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats’.