UK and Russia: A Bumpy Ride Through the Years

The UK and Russia have had a rocky relationship over the past few decades. It all started in 2000 when Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, visited Vladimir Putin before he even became the Russian President. This was a big deal because Blair was the first Western leader to do so. Later that year, Putin visited London and met with Blair and Queen Elizabeth. Things took a turn for the worse in 2006. Russia accused the UK of spying using a fake rock to hide a receiver. Later that year, Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy who had fled to the UK, died after drinking tea laced with polonium-210. Before his death, he blamed Putin. In 2007, things got even worse. British prosecutors accused a former Russian spy, Andrei Lugovoy, of poisoning Litvinenko. Russia denied any involvement and refused to extradite Lugovoy. Both countries expelled four of each other's diplomats. In 2010, the UK and Russia engaged in a tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats accused of spying. In 2011, David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, visited Russia to improve relations. In 2012, Cameron and Putin even watched judo together at the Olympic Games in London. In 2013, the British government rejected holding a public inquiry into Litvinenko's death, citing relations with Russia. But in 2014, they changed their minds and decided to hold an inquiry. In 2016, the inquiry concluded that Lugovoy and another Russian, Dmitry Kovtun, had killed Litvinenko with the approval of Putin. In 2018, things took another turn for the worse. Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury. The UK accused Russia of poisoning them with Novichok, a nerve agent. Russia denied any involvement. In 2022, the UK became one of Ukraine's strongest supporters after Russia invaded Ukraine. The UK provided military support and imposed sanctions on Russian individuals and entities. In 2024, the UK expelled Russia's defense attache and removed diplomatic status from some properties. Russia responded by expelling the UK's defense attache and revoking the accreditation of six UK diplomats. In 2025, a team of Bulgarians was convicted in London of being part of a Russian spying network. Days later, Russia expelled two more British diplomats. In October, a group of Britons was convicted of carrying out an arson attack on a Ukrainian business in London, which prosecutors said was at the behest of Russia's Wagner mercenary group.