British and Russian Diplomatic Tit-for-Tat: The Expulsion of Defense Attachés Amidst Sanctions

The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced the expulsion of British defense attaché Adrian Coghill in response to London’s similar action taken last week. Coghill, who serves as the defense attaché at the British embassy in Moscow, has been declared persona non grata and must leave the Russian Federation within a week, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry on September 16.

This retaliatory move came after the British Home Secretary James Cleverly announced the expulsion of the Russian defense attaché and the removal of diplomatic status for certain Moscow-related establishments in the UK on May 8, citing a malicious act from Russia. Russia labeled the British actions as politically motivated with an anti-Russian nature that damages bilateral relations.

The Russian Foreign Ministry warned that their response to the British actions would not stop at expelling Coghill and that further retaliation was forthcoming. The ministry also summoned a representative from the British embassy in Moscow to deliver this message. As of now, British officials have not commented on Russia’s decision.

The UK has imposed sanctions on Russian entities since Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine began in February 2022, with Minister Cleverly stating that the government stands firm in its support for Ukraine. NATO members have expressed deep concerns over recent activities believed to originate from Russia, affecting several countries including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the UK. In April, a British man was accused of conducting hostile acts on behalf of Russia