Russia expels 6 British diplomats it accuses of spying. The UK calls it 'completely baseless'

Russia on Friday accused six British diplomats of spying and said it decided to expel them. The U.K. said the “completely baseless” move came weeks ago and was linked to its action in May to revoke the credentials of an attaché at the Russian Embassy and limit Moscow’s diplomatic activities in London.

The latest East-West tensions unfolded as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Washington for talks that will include Ukraine’s request to use Western-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia. President Vladimir Putin has warned that Kyiv’s use of long-range weapons would put NATO at war with Moscow.

Russia’s Federal Security Service said in an online statement that the Foreign Ministry withdrew the British envoys' accreditations, and Russian TV quoted an FSB official as saying it was decided to expel them.

The FSB said it received documents indicating the diplomats were sent to Russia by a division of the U.K.'s Foreign Office “whose main task is to inflict a strategic defeat on our country,” and that they were involved in “intelligence-gathering and subversive activities.” It did not identify the six diplomats.

The FSB warned that if other diplomats are found to be carrying out “similar actions,” it “will demand early termination of their missions” to Russia.

Russian TV said the six diplomats had met with independent media and rights groups that have been declared “foreign agents” — a label Russian authorities have actively used against organizations and individuals critical of the Kremlin.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement that the diplomats were carrying out “subversive actions aimed at causing harm to our people.”

“We fully agree with the assessments of the activities of the British so-called diplomats expressed by the Russian FSB," she added in an online statement. "The British Embassy has gone far beyond the limits outlined by the Vienna Conventions.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said breaking off diplomatic relations with the U.K. was not on the table right now.

In calling the Russian allegations "completely baseless,” the U.K. Foreign Office said the expulsions happened weeks ago, linking them to Britain’s decision in May to revoke the credentials of an attaché at Moscow’s London embassy and to impose a five-year time limit on all Russian diplomats in Britain.

“The Russian authorities revoked the diplomatic accreditation of six U.K. diplomats in Russia last month, following action taken by the U.K. government in response to Russian state-directed activity across Europe and in the U.K.,” the Foreign Office said in a statement. “We are unapologetic about protecting our national interests.”

In May, the U.K. expelled Russia’s defense attaché in London, alleging he was an undeclared intelligence officer, and it closed several Russian diplomatic properties in Britain that it said were being used for spying. About a week later, Russia reciprocated and expelled Britain’s defense attaché.

Expulsions of diplomats — both Western envoys working in Russia and Russians in the West — have become increasingly common since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Last year, the Russian news outlet RBC counted that Western countries and Japan expelled a total 670 Russian diplomats between the start of 2022 and October 2023, while Moscow responded by expelling 346 diplomats. According to RBC, that was more than in the previous 20 years combined.

On his way to visit the U.S., Starmer said Britain does not “seek any conflict with Russia.”

“Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia could end this conflict straight away,” he told reporters.

“Ukraine has the right to self-defense and we’ve obviously been absolutely fully supportive of Ukraine’s right to self-defense — we’re providing training capability, as you know. But we don’t seek any conflict with Russia — that’s not our intention in the slightest,” he said.

Ukraine wants approval to use some weapons to strike deeper into Russia and there are signs that President Joe Biden might shift U.S. policy in response.

While the issue is expected to be at the top of the agenda for their meeting, it appeared unlikely that Biden and Starmer would announce any policy changes at this time, according to two U.S. officials familiar with planning for the talks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the private deliberations.

Ukrainian officials renewed their pleas to use Western-provided long-range missiles against targets deeper inside Russia during this week’s visit to Kyiv by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Blinken said he had “no doubt” that Biden and Starmer would discuss the matter during their visit, noting the U.S. has adapted and “will adjust as necessary” as Russia’s battlefield strategy has changed.

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Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia, and Lawless reported from London. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.

FILE - The Kremlin and embankment of the Moscow River are seen during sunset in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, March, 28, 2020. (AP Photo, File)

A view of the British Embassy building, centre, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, with the Russian Foreign Ministry building in the right. (AP Photo)

A view of the British Embassy building in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo)

FILE - A view of Lubyanskaya Square with the historical Federal Security Service (FSB, Soviet KGB successor) building, left, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (AP Photo, File)

Boats float past the British Embassy building in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo)

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, a Russian soldier stands next to a damaged Ukrainian military vehicle in the Russian - Ukrainian border area in the Kursk region, Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service photo via AP)

A view of the British Embassy building in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo)

A boats floats past the British Embassy building, centre, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, with the Russian Foreign Ministry building in the right. (AP Photo)

FILE - The British Embassy building, center, with the Russian Foreign Ministry building, second right, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

FILE - Birds fly with the British Embassy building at center in the background in Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

MIAMI (AP) — Jesús Sánchez doubled twice and drove in three runs, and the Miami Marlins beat Shohei Ohtani and the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 11-9 on Tuesday night.

Ohtani struck out three times but hit his 48th home run as he tries to become the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season. He did not steal a base for the fifth straight game and remains at 48.

Sánchez went 5 for 5, while Otto Lopez and Jake Burger homered for the Marlins.

Connor Norby became the first Marlin with four runs scored in a single game this season. He went 2 for 3 with a single, double and two walks. Kyle Stowers had an RBI triple in the fourth and added a run-scoring double in the sixth for the Marlins, who had 15 hits.

Max Muncy singled in a run, doubled and stole a base for the Dodgers, who began the day 3 1/2 games ahead of second-place San Diego, which was set to play Houston later Tuesday.

Reliever Anthony Veneziano picked up his first major league win after striking out two and allowing one hit over 1 1/3 inning.

The Marlins scored four runs in the first two innings off starter Bobby Miller, who was lifted after allowing seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts. The Dodgers responded with a four-run third jumpstarted by Ohtani's two-run shot against starter Darren McCaughan that he crushed 402 feet to right.

Michael Grove (4-4) took the loss after relieving Miller in the third and giving up a go-ahead RBI double to Sánchez in the fourth that made it 6-5. Sánchez then scored on Stowers' triple, and the Marlins didn't relinquish their lead from there.

McCaughan pitched 3 2/3 innings, surrendering six hits, five runs and striking out four. Miguel Rojas also homered off McCaughan in the fourth that tied it at five.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: Manager Dave Roberts said RHP Tony Gonsolin will make another rehab start soon and could rejoin the team if that goes well. Gonsolin hasn't pitched since having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last August.

Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara threw his first live batting practice since having Tommy John surgery in October. ... LHP Braxton Garrett allowed three hits in five innings and 80 pitches in a start for Triple-A Jacksonville.

UP NEXT

Dodgers RHP Landon Knack (2-4, 3.70 ERA) will start the second game of the series. The Marlins have not named a starter yet, but manager Skip Schumaker said Ryan Weathers (3-5, 3.55) will likely be on the mound.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts (50) scores on a sacrifice hit by Freddie Freeman during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts (50) a triple to center field during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins' Kyle Stowers hits a triple to right field during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Miguel Rojas (11) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller aims a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins' Otto Lopez gestures after hitting a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Miami Marlins' Jesús Sánchez (12) hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)