Russia withdraws ambassador to the UK amid escalating Ukraine-related tensions

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs the Security Council meeting in Moscow, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026.Russia has withdrawn its ambassador to the UK amid rising tensions over Britain’s role in the Ukraine war.Andrei Kelin, who spent seven years as the Russian ambassador in the UK, left the posting on July 21 and the Kremlin has not submitted any names to the Foreign Office to be considered as his replacement.According to The Times, embassy staff have no clear idea of when the role might be filled – sparking fears of a communication breakdown between the UK and Russia.It comes after Moscow officials expressed outrage when it was confirmed British drones had been used by Ukraine to strike targets deep within Russia.The embassy in London then claimed Britain would face the “consequences”, though the UK government doubled down on its support on Ukraine.Prime minister Andy Burnham said the UK was not a “fair weather friends” and supports “Ukraine 100%”.A spokesperson for the Russian embassy claimed Kelin had made “considerable efforts to preserve contacts and channels of communication” with Britain.They accused Downing Street of choosing a “path of confrontation” with Russia.Putin’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov also told the media: “I feel sorry for the United Kingdom, if it is going to stand with Ukraine until the very end.“As for the substance of our Embassy’s comment, it means only one thing: President Vladimir Putin has warned of our right to act in any area of the world’s oceans, should anyone encroach on our interests or our property.“We have exactly the same right to regard the proudly announced direct involvement of British missile forces in strikes against the Russian Federation as participation in the war. With all the consequences that entails.”The reason for Kelin’s departure from the role remains unclear.Russia has threatened to downgrade its relationship with the UK over Britain’s support for Ukraine following Putin’s illegal invasion in 2022.As Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in June 2024: “The issue of lowering the level of diplomatic relations is a standard practice for states that face unfriendly or hostile manifestations.”Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.Related...Putin Aide Claims He 'Feels Sorry' For The UK After Russian Embassy's ThreatsTrump-And-Putin Stunt Becomes Amsterdam Pride Talking Point'Toxic Atmosphere' Surrounds Putin As Russian Casualties Mount On Ukraine Battlefield

Kelin has not been replaced since he left the London posting on July 21 (Picture: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA Wire) Russia has withdrawn its ambassador to the UK as the relationship between the two countries continues to deteriorate. Long-serving Kremlin representative Andrey Kelin left his posting in London on July 21 after seven years. However, Putin has not put forward any candidates to succeed him and embassy staff are understood to be in the dark about when a replacement might be appointed, The Times reports. A spokesperson for the embassy accused the UK of choosing a ‘path of confrontation’ with Russia and said Kelin had made ‘considerable efforts to preserve contacts and channels of communication’ with Britain. The statement added: ‘He left Britain in the hope that a more constructive and respectful dialogue could eventually be restored, should the UK reconsider its policies towards our country. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. ‘In the meantime, the embassy is headed by the chargé d’affaires.’ The Russian Embassy in London was outraged at Britain’s support for Ukraine (Picture: Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images) It is not clear whether the Kremlin intends to leave the top post vacant on a permanent basis, but the delay has sparked suggestions that Russia is trying to downgrade diplomatic relationships. Kelin’s exit was announced on June 11, during an embassy party marking Russia Day. That same day, the British ambassador, Nigel Casey, alongside French and German representatives, met with Russia’s deputy foreign minister to protest the war in Ukraine. Tensions then boiled over last week after it was reported that British-made drones were used for the first time by Ukraine in strikes against Putin. Russia’s embassy warned the UK could ‘face consequences’ for the support and said Britain would pay a ‘higher price’ if it became more involved in the conflict. Andy Burnham then hit back and and said he would continue to ‘support Ukraine 100 per cent’ despite the threats. A national security source told the Sunday Times that the refusal to appoint a new ambassador could be a deliberate signal from Moscow to express their anger at the UK’s ties to Ukraine. ‘They are basically saying “you guys don’t matter” and that, frankly, London and the UK don’t count for anything any more,’ the source said. As ambassador to the UK, Kelin was a controversial figure who repeated pro-Kremlin propaganda. It is alleged British weapons were behind attacks on oil refineries in Volgograd and Yaroslavl (pictured) (Picture: Reuters) In March, he denied a report by the Foreign Office and other European allies that poison from a dart frog had been used to kill the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Kelin repeatedly rejected accusations that Putin was behind a nerve agent attack which almost killed former spy Sergei Skripal. Instead, he said the the novichok poisonings had been staged by the British government and secret services. Other experts have stressed that a gap between ambassadors is not unprecedented. John Foreman, the former British military attaché in Moscow, added: ‘But the embassy’s strident statement this week and the huge deterioration of bilateral relations since 2019 and since the start of the war in Ukraine make me wonder if they will permanently downgrade the relationship this time.’ Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source