Russia expels 2 British diplomats

MOSCOW -- Russia on Monday announced the expulsion of two British diplomats for allegedly "providing false information and conducting intelligence and disruptive activities."

The Russian foreign ministry said a representative of the British embassy had been summoned to be informed of the decision.

"The Service's counterintelligence operations exposed the unreported intelligence presence of the United Kingdom under the cover of the country's embassy in Moscow," Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement.

The FSB identified the two British diplomats to be ousted as second secretary Alkesh Odedra and Michael Skinner, the spouse of the first secretary of the embassy's political department.

"On this basis, the Russian Foreign Ministry, in coordination with other relevant agencies, decided to strip Alkesh Odedra and Michael Skinner of accreditation. They are required to leave Russia within two weeks," said the statement.