Russia imposes visa ban in British Council row

Russia responded angrily today to Britain’s defiance of its order to close two offices of a cultural organisation.

It announced a ban on new visas for consular staff working at the British Council offices, saying Britain was using “deliberate provocation”.

The offices in St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg reopened after a holiday break, despite Moscow’s warnings that defying orders they be permanently closed from January 1 would worsen already tense relations between the two countries.