{
  "id": 4835341,
  "title": "Russian Ambassador to U.K. Ends His Tenure",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/russian-ambassador-to-u-k-ends-his-tenure",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T10:01:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Moscow Times",
    "slug": "the-moscow-times",
    "url": "https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/09/01/russian-ambassador-to-uk-ends-his-tenure-a93613"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Russian Ambassador Andrei Kelin concluded his tenure in Britain on Tuesday, with the country's Foreign Ministry confirming his departure. Amb. Kelin had served in the position since November 2019, overseeing his duties during a turbulent period marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the ban on Russian diplomats entering the British parliament.\n\nIn a weekly press briefing, the Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, stated that President Vladimir Putin would appoint a successor to Amb. Kelin \"in due course.\" Zakharova emphasized that the process is progressing according to set procedures and urged against politicizing Kelin's exit. She highlighted that his tenure came at a crucial time, when bilateral ties were strained to the point where Britain attempted to dismantle relations entirely.\n\nKelin's appointment, which included serving as the Russian chargé d'affaires, was set to expire in July 2026. During his tenure, the Russian embassy claimed that Britain was dismantling bilateral relations and warned of unspecified \"consequences\" for supplying Ukraine with weapons such as missiles and drones. These tensions reached a head when Russia accused Britain of facing \"unprecedented challenges\" and designated The Moscow Times as an undesirable organization last month. The move criminalizes the publication's work and puts its staff at risk of prosecution, alleging that it discredits Russian leadership decisions while The Moscow Times maintains its commitment to unbiased reporting.",
  "summary": "Andrei Kelin’s tenure between November 2019 and July 2026 spanned the Covid-19 pandemic, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a ban on Russian diplomats from entering the British parliament.",
  "key_points": [
    "Andrei Kelin ends tenure as Russian Ambassador to U.K. on Tuesday.",
    "Served since November 2019 during pandemic, Ukraine invasion.",
    "Foreign Ministry says Putin will appoint successor in due course."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}