Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin has not ruled out the possibility of Moscow severing diplomatic ties with London over its decision to impose sanctions on Russia over the operation in Ukraine to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR).
Kelin told the Rossiya 24 broadcaster that if no solution is presented to resolve the issue of the embassy’s funding, impeded by the sanctions, the Kremlin might take steps against the British Embassy in Moscow.
For now, Russian diplomatic facilities continue to operate, the ambassador added.
“We are working as usual, we are not cancelling anything, consular services are being provided”, Kelin said.
The ambassador also stated that Russia has not seen the last of the British sanctions, noting that there was a great range of possible measures.
The UK earlier joined its allies in slapping Russia with sanctions over its special operation in Ukraine, which the West calls an “invasion”. Moscow has repeatedly rejected the term, saying the operation is being carried out to protect its security, ensure the safety of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), and de-Nazify Ukraine. The Kremlin specifically stressed that it does not plan to seize Ukrainian territory and that its military is not targeting civilian objects in order to avoid casualties.
Kelin said that the UK authorities had cancelled his address to the parliament.
“Yesterday, I was supposed to speak at the parliament, it was cancelled. On Friday, I was supposed to speak at the School of Economics in London, this was also cancelled,” he added.
If the Russian Embassy in London faces funding problems due to sanctions against Russian banks, then adequate response measures will be taken against the UK diplomatic mission in Moscow, he continued.
“Regarding the [Russian] citizens, we note attempts of discrimination, they indeed occur in schools, institutions. I would not say that they are widespread,” Kelin stated.
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According to the diplomat, the UK residents were not particularly interested in the Ukrainian crisis.
“After all, the Britons for the most part are not that interested in what is happening in Ukraine, compared to what they write about it in the newspapers,” Kelin noted.
He also said that there have been calls in the UK parliament to deliberate on deporting all Russian nationals, which amount to approximately 66,000, from the UK territory.
“In the parliament there are the most exotic calls, for example, to expel all ethnic Russians or to expel all Russian citizens. I have heard that,” Kelin added.
