RUSSIA – Russia on Thursday ordered the expulsion of Gareth Samuel Davies, 45, who it says was a British spy disguising as a British embassy employee in Moscow.
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Danae Dholakia, the UK charge d’affaires, issuing her a formal protest and demanding the departure of the suspected spy.
“On January 15, the acting charge d’affaires of the United Kingdom in Russia, D. Dholakia, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, where a firm protest was lodged in connection with information received by Russian competent authorities regarding the affiliation of one of the diplomatic staff of the embassy with British intelligence services,” the ministry said.
“Moscow will not tolerate activities of undeclared agents of British special services on Russian territory,” the ministry added.
“During counterintelligence work, the Federal Security Service (FSB) identified an undeclared British intelligence officer, Gareth Samuel Davis, born August 8, 1980, who was sent to Russia under the cover of being the second secretary in the administrative and economic department of the British Embassy in Moscow,” FSB said in a statement.
“The FSB of Russia will continue to counter the activities of foreign intelligence services by all available means,” FSB added.
The spy has been given 2 weeks to depart from Russia, and stripped his accreditation.
“Danae Dholakia was informed that, taking this into account and in accordance with Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the accreditation of this individual is being revoked,” the foreign ministry noted.
Moscow warned London that if it continues to escalate, Russia will respond in kind.
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