Russia Restricts UK Diplomatic Movement Due To ‘Hostile Actions’, In Another Blow To Diplomatic Relations That Were Very Strained During The War In Ukraine | Gatekeeper

Diplomatic relations between the UK and Russia have hit a new low this Thursday (July 20), when the Kremlin reportedly rebuked the UK Charge d’Affairs for UK support for the Ukraine terrorist attack, and announced new restrictions on the movement of British diplomats on Russian territory.

Since President Vladimir Putin began his military campaign in Ukraine, Britain has provided Kyiv with billions of dollars worth of military aid, and – along with the US and Western partners – imposed tough economic sanctions.

Reuters reported:

“Russia on Thursday imposed Soviet-style restrictions on British diplomats, requiring them to provide at least five working days’ notice of planned travel outside a 120 km (75 mile) radius, due to what it described as London’s ‘hostile acts’.”

Britain is one of the leading suppliers of Western arms to Ukraine in its struggle with overwhelming Russian forces.

“Britain’s responsibility in Russia was rebuked at a foreign ministry meeting in Moscow on Thursday for what Moscow said was support for Ukrainian ‘terrorist acts’ and for obstructing Russian diplomacy in the UK.

“The British side was also informed of the decision to introduce a notification procedure for the movement of employees of British diplomatic missions on our territory in response to London’s hostile actions,” the ministry said.

The announced measures are their toughest obstacle since Soviet times, indicating a new ‘cold war’ unleashed by the polarization around the conflict in Ukraine.

Tom Dodd, British interim chargé d’affaires in Moscow, was summoned to Russian diplomatic agents, and heard that the action was ‘in response to London’s hostile policies’.

TASS reported:

“’The British side was notified of the decision, as a response measure to London’s hostile actions, including those that impede the normal operation of Russian foreign missions in the UK, to introduce procedures for notification of travel by British diplomatic mission staff in our country’, said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Russia’s foreign policy agency explained that British embassy staff in Moscow were further accredited […] must send notice of any travel outside the 120 kilometer free movement zone at least five working days in advance. “Relevant documents must contain information about the date, purpose and type of travel, as well as planned business interactions, accompanying individuals, type of transport used, destinations to be visited, accommodations, and itineraries of travel,” the statement said.

Dodd was also informed of the ‘unacceptability of London’s support for the Kiev regime’s terrorist attacks’.

“’It has been reiterated to the British side that every effort it makes is aimed at continuing [London’s] destructive policies in international and bilateral affairs, and attempts to discredit our country and hinder the work of Russian foreign missions will certainly receive a decisive response’, added the Russian diplomatic agency.”

Only the British ambassador and three senior diplomats are exempt from the obligation to give five working days written notice of any plans to travel outside the 120km ‘free movement zone’.

BBC reported:

“The Vienna Convention – signed by the UK and Russia – makes it clear that governments must grant accredited diplomats ‘freedom of movement and travel within its territory’.

So governments rarely actually stop diplomats from traveling – but they can make it more difficult by imposing rules and regulations, like the Russian government has.

The resulting bureaucratic demands were time-consuming and onerous but consistent with the content of the Vienna Convention.”