Russia's FSB internal security agency said on Thursday that it had detained a former guard at the British Embassy in Moscow who collected personal data on British diplomats, alleging that he had been working for Ukrainian intelligence.
The agency said the data collection was part of preparations for a Ukrainian false-flag operation against British diplomatic staff in Russia, aimed at accusing Russia of hostile actions at a later stage.
Relations between Britain and Russia have deteriorated sharply since Moscow launched its military action in Ukraine in 2022. Moscow sees Britain as Ukraine's main backer in the four-and-a-half-year conflict.
This is a developing story.
