Russia has imposed strict, Soviet-style travel restrictions on British diplomats living in Moscow after accusing the UK’s intelligence chief of endorsing the Ukrainian “regime’s terrorist acts”.
Moscow summoned senior diplomat Tom Dodd, who is standing in for ambassador Dame Deborah Bronnert, to its foreign ministry to tell him of the move on Thursday (July 20).
They said that British diplomats must now give five days’ notice before travelling further than 75 miles.
The diplomats must also provide an exhaustive list of the details of all trips outside the “free movement zone”, including everything down to the “mode of transport” they use to travel.
While the ambassador and three other top officials will be exempt from this requirement, they appear to be aimed at stymying the work of other diplomats, including MI6 agents operating under diplomatic cover – in meeting contacts across most of Russia’s 11 time zones.
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A statement concerning the new Soviet-style curbs was issued following the summons issued to Mr Dodd.
It said that documents would need to be provided to the Russian foreign ministry detailing “the timing, purpose, type of trip, planned business contacts, accompanying persons, mode of transport, place of visit and accommodation, as well as the route of the trip”.
The stringent measures appear to be a reaction to comments made by the head of MI6, Sir Richard Moore, who called for those in Russia opposing the war in Ukraine to become spies for Britain.
Mr Todd was given a dressing down for Britain’s support of what the Kremlin deems Ukraine’s “terrorist actions”, as well as for allegedly obstructing Russian diplomacy in the UK.
The Russian foreign ministry said the decision was taken as a “response to the hostile actions of London”, including “hindering the normal functioning of Russian foreign missions in the UK”.
On Wednesday, during a speech in Prague, Sir Richard, speaking to anti-war Russians, said that the “door is always open” to those seeking to oppose the “special military opposition”.
He added that, together, Britain and anti-war Russians could “work to bring the bloodshed to an end”.
Footage was published by Russian state media outlet TASS showing Tom Dodd arriving and leaving the foreign ministry on Thursday.
Russian state TV outlet Rossiya 24 told viewers that it was “evident Tom Dodd was a little nervous” before the meeting.
During the video of his exit, Mr Dodd was swamped by Russian journalists, including one woman who blocked his entrance into his vehicle.
The Kremlin has been vocal about the implications of the Ukrainian use of British long-range Storm Shadow missiles to bomb Russian positions in the occupied territories; high-ranking officials and parliamentarians have claimed the use of these weapons implicates the UK in the “special military operation”.
It also suggested that Britain and the United States were involved in a drone attack on the Crimean Bridge that killed two people on Monday.