Russian counterintelligence has identified and expelled an MI6 officer operating undercover at the British Embassy in Russia, a certain Gareth Samuel Davies. He held the cover position of Second Secretary at the administrative headquarters section [*].
In truth, this is just routine business: exposing a spy working under diplomatic protection and expelling them from the country. Naturally, the UK will reciprocate by expelling one of the Russian embassy officials and retroactively declaring them a Russian spy.
As Vladimir Putin himself might reportedly put it in such situations, “Too boring!”
The only intrigue is the fact that MI6 officers are allegedly involved in orchestrating not just high-minded conventional espionage, but also kinetic attacks and political subversion within Russia. In fact, acts of sabotage and terrorist attacks conducted in Russia by Ukrainian intelligence services led by figures like Malyuk and Budanov were actually instigated by MI6.
Therefore, the Russians aren’t expelling a mere intelligence officer; they kick out a terrorist.
* http://www.fsb.ru/fsb/press/message/single.htm!id%3D10440523%40fsbMessage.html
“ФСБ России выявлен незаявленный сотрудник британских спецслужб Дэвис Гарет Самьюэль” (Пресс-служба ФСБ России, 15.01.2026).