The Russian ambassador to Great Britain, Andrey Kelin, has left his post amid further deterioration of relations between London and Moscow over Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Andrey Kelin, who held the position for over seven years, left it on July 21. According to The Times, Russia has not yet submitted a candidate for the new ambassador to the British Foreign Office, and there is currently no information on when his successor might be appointed.
The Russian Embassy in London denied that Moscow intends to downgrade diplomatic relations with Great Britain. It added that bilateral relations have “deteriorated to an unprecedentedly low level solely at the initiative of London.”
Mutual accusations and warnings
A representative of the Russian Embassy told The Times that the former ambassador had made “significant efforts to maintain contacts and communication channels” with Great Britain but accused the government of choosing a “path of confrontation” with Russia.
“He left Great Britain hoping that a more constructive and respectful dialogue could eventually be restored if Britain revises its policy towards our country,” the representative said. The embassy is currently headed by a chargé d’affaires.
A representative of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of Great Britain stated that this is “a matter for the Russian Foreign Ministry.”
He added: “We have an ambassador and an embassy in Moscow to interact with and express concerns to the Russian government. We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, which has the right to defend itself against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion.”
Last week, the Russian Embassy in Great Britain said that reports of Ukrainian forces using drones produced by two British companies “confirm that London is deliberately choosing to escalate the Ukrainian crisis.”
The embassy accused Great Britain of “seeking to contain Russia and inflict maximum damage on it indirectly” and warned that the deeper its involvement, “the higher the price it will pay.” “London’s actions will inevitably have consequences for which it will have to answer,” the statement said.
Response from the British Prime Minister
Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that Great Britain will not succumb to threats.
When asked about his message to Vladimir Putin following Russia’s accusations of escalating the war, Burnham said: “Great Britain is doing what it has long promised, namely, supporting Ukraine 100 percent in confronting this illegal war waged by Vladimir Putin.”
“We provide support so that Ukraine can defend itself, and this has been the British position throughout this conflict under previous prime ministers. It remains the same with me. We are not fair‑weather friends. We will stand by Ukraine in its time of need, and this will not change,” he added.
The reasons why Kelin left his position after seven years remain unclear. Last year, he denied Russia’s involvement in the poisonings in Salisbury in 2018, claiming they were “staged” according to a scenario reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel.
Source: The Independent UK
