Moscow Two people linked to UK embassy told to leave

Two people connected to the British embassy in Moscow have been ordered to leave the country by the Russian authorities, which claimed they had been performing intelligence work.

- Ben Quinn

The British government hit back by accusing Russia of making "malicious and baseless accusations".

Citing Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the state news agency Tass identified the two individuals as a second secretary of the British embassy and the spouse of another British diplomat. It named the two and accused them of deliberately declaring false information about themselves when entering Russia.

They have been given two weeks to leave, according to the Russian government, which accused them of "intelligence and subversive activities". The FSB had uncovered what it called "signs of intelligence and sabotage work" by both that threatened national security, Tass added.