Foreign affairs

US and 23 other countries join mass expulsion of Russian spies to 'dismantle' Putin espionage network

Theresa May has told Vladimir Putin the Salisbury poisonings have “spectacularly backfired” after 24 countries joined with Britain to “dismantle” Russia’s worldwide spy network.

The Prime Minister vowed never to allow President Putin’s espionage machine to be rebuilt after the US and other Western allies announced the expulsion of more than 130 Russian intelligence officers.

President Donald Trump ordered 60 suspected Russian spies to leave the US - including 12 from the United Nations in New York - while 16 EU countries and five other non-EU members also gave Russians notice to leave in the largest collective expulsion of Russian spies in history. At least two other EU members will follow suit today.