Russia expels British defence attache in retaliatory move

Russia's response was announced in a Foreign Ministry statement which said it would also take further, unspecified, steps. "Our reaction to the unfriendly anti-Russian actions of the British side announced on May 8 does not end with this measure. The initiators of the escalation will be informed about further retaliatory steps," the ministry said.

Russia said on Thursday it was expelling British defence attache Adrian Coghill in retaliation for Britain's announcement it was kicking out his Russian counterpart last week. Russia's response was announced in a Foreign Ministry statement which said it would also take further, unspecified, steps.

"Our reaction to the unfriendly anti-Russian actions of the British side announced on May 8 does not end with this measure. The initiators of the escalation will be informed about further retaliatory steps," the ministry said. On May 8 Britain announced that it would expel the Russian defence attache, remove diplomatic status from some properties and limit the length of Russian diplomatic visas in response to what interior minister James Cleverly called Moscow's "malign activity".