Russia's Foreign Ministry says that Britain's decision to expel a Russian diplomat was unfriendly and unfounded. The ministry's statement Wednesday came a day after the British Foreign Office said that a Russian diplomat had been expelled for spying. Moscow retaliated by expelling a diplomat from the British Embassy in Moscow.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Britain will be held responsible for the consequences of the incident. It voiced regret that the British action came at a moment when "positive trends" in relations between the two nations were emerging. UK-Russia ties soured after the 2006 poisoning death in London of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko. Russia has refused to extradite to Britain former KGB officer Andrei Lugovoi, whom London considers main suspect in the case.