Russia expels four British diplomats

The Russian foreign ministry announced yesterday that four British diplomats will be expelled from Russia and will have 10 days to leave. This is the anticipated Russian response to the British expelling four of their diplomats from the Russian consulate in London, all involved are rumoured to be intelligence officers.
Also more worryingly, Russia has halted it’s co-operation over counter terrorism with Britain. This is a huge blow to the British. It all revolves around one man, Andrei Lugovoi, who is wanted by the British CPS for the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. Russia has refused to extradite Logovoi to the UK.
So what has happened up to ow?

MONDAY: Britain expels four Russian diplomats and places restrictions on visas issued to Russian diplomats

WEDNESADAY: Russia expels four British diplomats, halts co-operation over counter terrorism issues and stopped issuing visas to British officials and seeking British visas for Russian officials

The expelling of diplomats is also known as ‘Persona non grata’ which is Latin for “unwelcome person’ in short PNG’d. This is defiantly not uncommon. During the Cold War hundreds of diplomats and civilians were PNG’d by the West and the Soviets. However Russia is top of the list when it comes to PNGing other countries diplomats, it’s record since March 1998 is as follows:

17 Mar 1998: Russia expels Norwegian spies
22 Oct 1998 Russia expels Estonian spy
26 Nov 1998: Russia expels Pakistanis
10 Apr 1999: Russia expels Turkish spy
23 Apr 1999: Russia expels Estonian spy
21 Jan 2000: Russia expels 9 Polish diplomats
9 Dec 2002: Russia expels 2 Canadian diplomats
29 Jan 2003: Russia expels American woman
30 Mar 2004: Russia expels 3 Lithuanian diplomats

Despite the expulsions Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he feels that Britain and Russia can re-build a ‘normal relationship’ a relationship both countries desperately need. Shall the tit-for-tat game of expelling diplomats continue? Watch this space.