British diplomats in Moscow were hit by a Federal Security Service-staged stunt as UK's deputy ambassador Tom Dodd was targeted by a throng of “journalists” at a city airport.
The Russian Foreign Ministry alleged that the senior diplomat “snatched the badge” of one journalist and “pushed a girl with a microphone who was asking him a question”.
In videos of the altercation at Vnukovo airport, Dodd is seen handing back the badge, but also seeking to exit the terminal to a waiting diplomatic vehicle without being harassed by a rent-a-mob.
The scuffles came after the arrival of two senior diplomats from London to visit the UK embassy amid Vladimir Putin's war with Ukraine. It coincided with depletion in staff numbers at the embassy after the Russian authorities refused to renew visas for certain envoys.
The arrival of the head of the Directorate for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Chris Allan, and his deputy, Lorraine Fussey, were known to the Russian authorities, who had granted visas to the pair.
However, their trip had not been publicly announced yet. Despite this, the diplomats were met by a throng of “journalists” and poster-carrying protesters in what appeared to be a classic FSB-staged set-up.
Posters read: “You are not diplomats, you are [M16] spies”, “Stop wagging (sic) war”, and “We have detected you (sic) deception”.
An embassy source said this evening: “British diplomats in Russia regularly face harassment while carrying out their duties. We are looking into the circumstances of the recent incident.”
Footage shows a female journalist positioned herself in front of a walking Dodd – formerly British ambassador to Finland – as he faced a barrage of questions. He appeared to raise his arms as he sought to exit the airport with his Foreign Office colleagues.
She said: “Why are you touching me?” And: “Please don't touch me.”
Dodd and his fellow senior diplomats were taunted with questions including: “Is this the example of modern British diplomacy?” “When would you stop starting wars across the world?” and “What would you do if our Ministry of Foreign Affairs created a department to separate Northern Ireland [from Britain]and supplied the IRA with weapons?”
Statements such as: “That's British diplomats for you” were also made.
Earlier, the deputy ambassador appeared to take a media badge from a male journalist who told him: “Why are you doing that? Why did you take away my badge?
“It's illegal to do it in this country. Maybe in your country it's legal, but it's illegal in this one. Can you give it back?”
Dodd had also been asked: “Can you give us commentary?” When Dodd asked what about, the journalist replied: “About your involvement. Would you give us some comments about your anti-Russian activity?”
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “British officials have no idea at all about what journalists' safety is, what freedom of speech is, what respect for the profession of journalism is.
She told state-run TASS news agency: “British officialdom and British diplomats in Moscow must finally understand for themselves that they can save the neo-colonialist habits that they still have for their own journalists.”
Andrei Lugovoy, a Russian MP and murder suspect, addressed the incident almost immediately, suggesting that the interception of the diplomats was staged. He is wanted by British police over the murder of Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with polonium-210 in London in 2006.
“After Russian counterintelligence brilliantly carried out an operation to expose spies operating under the cover and protection of the British Embassy in Moscow, a fundamentally correct decision was made,” said Lugovoy, who had close FSB connections at the time he is suspected to have been poisoned. Litvinenko. “All British diplomats are a priori considered to be MI6 personnel or agents of British intelligence, and if intelligence activities are confirmed, they will be expelled from Russia,” he said.
“The delegation, represented by the head of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate (EECAD) Christopher Allan and his deputy Lorraine Fussey, who arrived to inspect the British embassy, should also be surrounded by special attention from our intelligence services.
“Routes, circle of contacts, meetings, conversations, correspondence. Not a single step, not a single word should be missed.
It is clear that the official investigation initiated after the failure of the British spies should ultimately end with new instructions on how to restore the lost agent network. Let's be on the alert, both law enforcement and society.”