FSB advises Russians to avoid contact with British diplomats

Following the exposure of a spy at the British Embassy, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has warned citizens to refrain from interacting with British diplomats under threat of criminal liability, Kommersant reports.

According to the FSB, Jans Gerardus, Second Secretary at the British Embassy in Moscow, sought “unofficial meetings with Russian economic experts” in an attempt to obtain sensitive information. His diplomatic accreditation has been revoked, and he has been ordered to leave Russia.

The FSB’s Public Relations Centre advised Russian citizens that, to avoid potential legal consequences—including criminal charges—they should not meet with British diplomats without approval from the Russian Foreign Ministry, noting that intelligence officers may operate under official diplomatic cover.