The Russian foreign ministry has introduced stringent travel restrictions on British diplomats operating in the country. According to the new rules, they must provide at least five days' notice and furnish extensive travel details if they wish to leave a designated 120km (75-mile) "free movement zone". Only the British ambassador and three senior diplomats are exempted from these measures.
Tensions between Moscow and London have escalated following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Despite their conflicting positions on the war, both countries continue to maintain diplomatic missions on each other's soil. Under the Vienna Convention, which both the UK and Russia have ratified, accredited diplomats are entitled to "freedom of movement and travel in its territory". While governments rarely outright prevent diplomats from traveling, they can impose strict rules and regulations to make it challenging, as Russia has done in this case.
The Russian foreign ministry requires British diplomats to provide detailed information about their accommodation, transportation, planned contacts, and the purpose of their trips within Russia. The British consulate in Yekaterinburg, located around 1090km (880 miles) east of Moscow, will also be subject to these restrictions. Although these bureaucratic demands are time-consuming and burdensome, they technically comply with the provisions of the Vienna Convention.
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However, making life difficult for diplomats is not uncommon in authoritarian states. Diplomats may encounter delays in visa processing, and they and their families might be subjected to various degrees of surveillance. Some have experienced unsettling incidents, such as finding their homes tampered with or pets harmed. These challenges are often seen as part of the territory when working in such countries.
The announcement of the travel restrictions came shortly after the UK's interim charge d'affaires attended a meeting with Russian officials. The Russian foreign ministry claimed that the senior British diplomat had been "summoned", but the UK Foreign Office disputed this, describing it as "disinformation" and clarifying that the meeting was a planned one at their request.
Russia, in justifying the restrictions, accused the UK of supporting the Ukrainian government and conducting "hostile actions", including interfering with the normal functioning of Russian diplomatic offices in the UK. The UK Foreign Office has not yet disclosed its response to this move.
The situation highlights the strained relations between Russia and the UK and the challenges diplomats may face in carrying out their diplomatic duties amid political tensions and conflicts.
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