The UK has revoked accreditation for a Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse after two British officials were ordered to leave Russia on Monday. In the latest in a series of tit-for-tat expulsions,

Britain revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat on Wednesday in response to Russia's expulsion of two British diplomats this week and it accused Russia of trying to force its embassy in Moscow to close.

Britain said it would revoke accreditation for a Russian diplomat in response to a similar move by Russia earlier this week against British diplomats.

Britain's government said Wednesday it has expelled a Russian diplomat and a diplomatic spouse in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of two British embassy staff in Moscow earlier this week.

The Russian government on Monday expelled two British diplomats and gave two weeks for them to exit the country over allegations of espionage. Britain said the allegations are "baseless."

Russia accused two British diplomats on Monday of spying and gave them two weeks to leave the country, reinforcing the downward trajectory of Moscow's diplomatic relations with Europe even as it negotiates to restore ties with the United States.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy summoned Russia’s ambassador to London to the Foreign Office for a dressing down

The British government said it is expelling a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Russia doing the same to a UK diplomat earlier this week. Russia’s Ambassador Andrey Kelin was summoned to the Foreign Office to face criticism for what UK officials called an ‘increasingly aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats’.