London: The UK has accused Moscow of an "aggressive and co-ordinated campaign of harassment" following the expulsion of a British diplomat by Russia on Monday over alleged intelligence activities, which London has dismissed as "nonsense."

According to Anadolu Agency, a spokesperson for the Foreign Office stated that Russia has been engaging in a deliberate strategy of harassment against British diplomats by spreading malicious and baseless accusations about their work. The spokesperson emphasized that these Russian claims are unfounded and that the UK will not tolerate intimidation of its embassy staff and their families.

The developments come after Russia expelled Jance Gerardus, the second secretary of the British Embassy in Moscow. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that Gerardus had his accreditation revoked and was ordered to leave the country within two weeks. The FSB accused Gerardus of deliberately providing false information on his entry application and engaging in intelligence and subversive activities that posed a threat to Russia's security.