Britain revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat on Wednesday in response to Russia's expulsion of two British diplomats this week and it accused Russia of trying to force its embassy in Moscow to close.

Russian ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin was summoned to the Foreign Office to be informed about the expulsions.

Britain said it would revoke accreditation for a Russian diplomat in response to a similar move by Russia earlier this week against British diplomats. "It is clear that the Russian state is actively seeking to drive the British Embassy in Moscow towards closure and has no regard for the dangerous escalatory impact of this,