UK: Security breach allowed Russian diplomats to access private area of UK parliament
Russian diplomats gained access to a private area of the UK Parliament just before Christmas, a security breach that prompted warnings from the Speakers of both Houses, The Guardian has revealed.
The small group of diplomats had been on a guided tour of parliament but managed to slip away and enter private rooms within the building before being intercepted by security staff.
"We suspect they just wanted to boast to the Kremlin that they had infiltrated the British Parliament. It’s not ideal, but they were caught before any damage was done," a parliamentary source said.
British ministers expressed significant concern over the security lapse. In response, MPs received a handwritten notice urging them not to invite Russian officials to parliament.
Since 2022, the Russian ambassador in London and all embassy staff have been barred from parliament.
(QG - Source: The Guardian / Picture: © Pixabay)