Russia Summons UK Diplomat over Arms for Ukraine

Russia summoned British chargé d’affaires Danae Dholakia on Friday to formally protest what Moscow described as a “further increase” in UK weapons supplies to Ukraine.

In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused London of making itself an accomplice to atrocities it characterized as terrorism and war crimes by sending additional weapons to Kyiv.

Britain rejected the accusations. A Foreign Office spokesperson called the summons “yet another attempt to deflect attention from Russia’s barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine and discredit the UK on the world stage”.

Relations between the two countries are deeply strained. Russia currently has no ambassador in London after Andrei Kelin left the post in July.

Kelin’s departure prompted speculation in the British media that Moscow was downgrading diplomatic relations because of London’s role as one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters, a claim Russia denied.

(Reuters, max)