Russia claims it has detained former guard at British Embassy in Moscow, saying he was part of Ukrainian plot to stage ‘false flag attack on UK diplomats’
Russia's FSB security service says it has detained a former security guard at the British Embassy in Moscow, accusing him of passing personal data on UK diplomats to Ukrainian intelligence as part of an alleged plot to stage a "false flag" attack on British embassy staff. The claim comes amid heightened Russia-Ukraine tensions and is likely to be treated with scepticism, given the FSB's history of using such operations to sow distrust between Britain and Ukraine, key allies in Kyiv's defence against Moscow.
The 45-year-old suspect, a Russian citizen employed by an outside security contractor rather than the British government, was filmed being forcibly detained by masked FSB officers. In a purported confession, he claims he contacted a pro-Ukrainian blogger, Dmytro "Apostle" Karpenko, in January and supplied details on Ambassador Nigel Casey and other diplomats, including their addresses, vehicles, movements and embassy security arrangements, allegedly for use in planned sabotage. Published WhatsApp messages reportedly show him relaying information on the ambassador's schedule and the deputy ambassador's movements. He has been charged with high treason under Article 275, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
- FSB says it detained a British Embassy security guard as a Ukrainian spy
- He allegedly passed diplomats' personal data to a pro-Ukrainian blogger
- Charged with high treason, punishable by life imprisonment
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Russia's FSB security service says it has arrested a former security guard from the British Embassy in Moscow, alleging he passed sensitive information about UK diplomats to Ukrainian intelligence. The claim comes against a backdrop of deep hostility between Russia and Ukraine, with Britain widely seen as one of Kyiv's most committed backers since Russia's 2022 invasion. That context matters, because it means any accusation involving British diplomats and Ukrainian intelligence carries political weight beyond the individual case.
The man at the centre of the case is a 45-year-old Russian national who worked for an outside contractor providing security at the embassy, rather than being a British government employee. He is accused of contacting a pro-Ukrainian blogger and handing over details about the ambassador and other staff, including their addresses, vehicles and movements, which Russian authorities say were meant to support a planned attack disguised to look like it came from another source. He has been charged with high treason, one of the most serious offences in Russian law.
Cases like this are difficult for outsiders to verify independently, since the evidence so far comes largely from Russian security services and state media. Understanding the wider tension between Moscow, Kyiv and London helps explain why such claims are being made and how they might be received by different audiences.