Russia has withdrawn its ambassador from Britain and called on London to “reconsider” its policy. The move has raised fears that diplomatic relations between the two countries could deteriorate further. The news was reported by The Telegraph.
According to the report, Andrei Kelin, who served as Moscow’s chief representative in London for more than seven years, stepped down from his diplomatic post on July 21. No successor has been appointed since.
With the ambassador’s post vacant, there are concerns that diplomatic communication between Russia and Britain could weaken further. After British-made drones were used for the first time in an attack on Russian territory this past Monday, Moscow warned Britain would “face consequences.”
A spokesperson for the Russian embassy said Kelin had made “significant efforts” to maintain various channels of communication and dialogue with London. But in his view, the British government is choosing a “path of confrontation” with Russia.
He told The Times that Kelin left Britain in the hope that if the U.K. reconsiders its policy toward Russia, a more constructive and respectful dialogue could ultimately be restored. The embassy spokesperson also said the Kremlin has not yet nominated any candidate for a new ambassador to the British Foreign Office. A chargé d’affaires is currently handling the embassy’s duties.
News of Ambassador Kelin’s departure was first shared internally within the embassy. It was disclosed at an event held on June 11 to mark “Russia Day,” but no formal announcement or statement was made to the public.
On the same day, Britain’s ambassador in Moscow, Nigel Casey, took part in a rare meeting with Russia’s deputy foreign minister and representatives from Germany and France, at which Russia’s aggression in Ukraine was condemned.
It remains unclear why Kelin, who had served since 2019, stepped down. It is also unclear whether Russia will keep a lower-ranking official in the post on a long-term basis. Withdrawing a country’s ambassador is generally a formal way of expressing displeasure with that country.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report