LONDON. Dec 22 (Interfax) - Britain and Russia have exchanged diplomatic expulsions in a new spy row, British television said on Tuesday.
"On 10 December we requested that the Russian Embassy in London withdraw a member of their staff from the UK. This was in response to clear evidence of activities by the Russian intelligence services against UK interests," Sky News television quoted Foreign Secretary William Hague as saying in a statement to the British Parliament.
"Russia responded on 16 December by requesting the removal of a member of our embassy staff in Moscow. We reject any basis for this action. Both staff members have now been withdrawn," Hague said.
Sky News foreign editor Tim Marshall cited British intelligence services as accusing Russia of "blatant spying" and called Russia's request for the diplomat's withdrawal a "polite" form of expulsion.
Interfax has been unable to obtain comments from any British or Russian official so far.