Russia Confirms No Ambassador in London Amid Tensions

MOSCOW: (News Desk) – The Russian Embassy in London has confirmed that there is currently no Russian ambassador in post in Britain, while accusing the UK of being responsible for the sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries.

The statement followed a report by The Sunday Times claiming that Moscow had withdrawn its ambassador, Andrei Kelin, as part of an effort to pressure Britain over its continued support for Ukraine.

The embassy clarified that the end of Kelin’s diplomatic assignment should not be interpreted as a decision by Russia to downgrade diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom. It said there was nothing in its comments to the newspaper suggesting that Moscow intended to reduce the diplomatic level between the two countries.

However, the embassy described the overall state of Russia-UK relations as being at an unprecedentedly low point, blaming London for the deterioration.

Kelin, who served as Russia’s ambassador to Britain for more than seven years, reportedly left his post on July 21. Moscow has not yet announced a successor, with reports suggesting that embassy officials have no information about when a new ambassador could be appointed.

The British Foreign Office said the appointment was a matter for the Russian Foreign Ministry. London added that Britain continues to maintain an ambassador and embassy in Moscow to engage with Russian authorities and raise its concerns.

The UK government also reaffirmed its support for Ukraine, saying Kyiv has the right to defend itself against Russia’s invasion.

Tensions between Moscow and London have intensified further over Britain’s military assistance to Ukraine. Russia recently warned that Britain would face consequences after reports that British-made drones supplied to Ukraine had been used in attacks deep inside Russian territory.

The Russian Embassy accused Britain of becoming an accomplice in the attacks and alleged that London was deliberately contributing to an escalation of the conflict.

Britain has remained one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. The UK has committed billions of pounds in economic, humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has increased its long-range strikes against targets inside Russia, while Moscow has continued to intensify missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv.