Russia has pulled its ambassador from the UK, Andrey Kelin, who left his post on July 21 after more than seven years in London, according to multiple reports. No successor has been put forward, and embassy staff have been given no indication of when a replacement might be named, fueling fears of a breakdown in communication between Moscow and London.

The departure was first revealed internally on June 11 during an embassy gathering for Russia Day. A spokesman for the Russian embassy said Kelin had made "considerable efforts to preserve contacts and channels of communication" and accused Britain of pursuing a "path of confrontation" with Moscow. The spokesman added: "He left Britain in the hope that a more constructive and respectful dialogue could eventually be restored, should the UK reconsider its policies towards our country." In the meantime, the embassy is headed by the chargé d'affaires.

The withdrawal comes amid escalating tensions over Ukraine's use of British-made drones in strikes inside Russia, which prompted the Russian embassy to warn of "consequences" and that Britain would pay a "higher price" for supporting Kyiv. Reports also suggest that Moscow has threatened unspecified retaliation, with some sources referencing warnings of a submarine-launched nuclear strike.

UK officials have responded defiantly. Andy Burnham said the UK continues to "support Ukraine 100 per cent" despite the threats. A national security source told the Sunday Times that the refusal to appoint a new ambassador could be a deliberate signal from the Kremlin, saying: "They are basically saying: You guys don't matter." Another diplomatic source expressed concern that "communication and de-escalation is the only tool to avoid potentially dangerous scenarios from turning catastrophic."

The Russian embassy's statement also accused London of "deliberately betting on an escalation of the Ukraine crisis, while hypocritically claiming to be striving for peace." The statement referenced reports that Kyiv is using British drones to strike deep within Russian territory.

Kelin, who served as ambassador since 2019, was a controversial figure, frequently making pro-Kremlin statements. He denied reports that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using poison from a dart frog and rejected conclusions of an official investigation into the Salisbury poisoning, claiming the British government and secret services had staged the novichok poisonings. He also suggested London had been involved in a Ukrainian drone attack on Putin's warplanes in June.

Russia's decision to withdraw its ambassador without naming a replacement is seen as a formal expression of displeasure without completely severing diplomatic ties. Analysts note that failing to nominate a successor is a way to downgrade the relationship. John Foreman, a former British military attaché in Moscow, expressed concern over a possible permanent downgrade of the relationship.

The development coincides with French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that Paris will send interceptor missiles to Ukraine. Macron expressed "horror" at a Russian attack on a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, which killed at least 16 people. He said he had informed President Zelensky of the strengthened support.

Putin, meanwhile, warned that Ukraine had "opened Pandora's box" after a series of Ukrainian drone strikes killed at least 10 people in Russia, including on an Ozon warehouse and an industrial facility. He described Ukraine's peace proposal as "exotic" and "unacceptable," saying he was ready for talks only "based on realities on the ground."

In a related development, police in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast have launched criminal proceedings against the director of the Kryvyi Rih mall for negligence, as the business allegedly remained open during an air raid alert at the time of the strike.