Russia withdraws ambassador to the UK, Andrey Kelin
Moscow says London has chosen a "path of confrontation"; Kelin ended his mission on 21 July and no successor has been named.
Russia has withdrawn its ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrey Kelin, and accused the British government of steering bilateral relations onto a confrontational path. Kelin finished his diplomatic posting on 21 July; the Kremlin has not yet named a successor and the embassy's public roster now lists only Vasily A. Tsyganov as chargé d’affaires.
Heightened tension after reports of British-made drones
The move comes amid a further deterioration in Moscow–London ties linked to the UK’s support for Ukraine. Last week the Russian embassy warned that British actions would have consequences after reports that Ukrainian forces had used attack drones produced by British companies against targets inside Russia. "The actions of London will inevitably have consequences for which it will have to answer," the Russian embassy said in a statement on Telegram.
Former British military attaché John Forman said the gap between ambassadors is not without precedent but signalled that the current situation could point to a lasting downgrading of relations. "The sharply worded statement about 'consequences' and the huge deterioration in bilateral relations since 2018, and especially since the start of the war, make me wonder whether Moscow this time will permanently downgrade relations simply by not replacing him," Forman wrote on X.
The British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said the question of the Russian ambassador is a matter for Russia’s foreign ministry and added: "We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, which has the right to defend itself from Russia's unlawful and unprovoked invasion."
Kelin, who joined the Soviet diplomatic service in 1979, has frequently echoed Kremlin positions in interviews with UK media. In a Sky News interview in June he said that Russia "cannot lose" the war in Ukraine.
The Russian embassy subsequently sought to temper the most alarmist readings of its public statements, saying nothing in its comments indicated an intention to reduce the formal level of diplomatic relations with London. Still, analysts say an extended absence of an accredited ambassador would be an unmistakable signal of bilateral strain.
Photo: Ruska ambasada vo Britanija / ondon.mid.ru
