UPDATE 2-Russia targets teachers who cooperated with the British Council
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Russia says British Council is a nest of spies
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British Council says allegations of espionage are false
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British Council ceased operations in Russia in 2018
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Russia warns citizens against contacts with BritishCouncil
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Britain is considered 'enemy number one' by Russia
(Updates with comments from the British Council in paragraphs4, and 9-14)
By Guy Faulconbridge
MOSCOW, June 5 (Reuters) - Russia's Federal SecurityService (FSB) accused British intelligence on Thursday of usingthe British Council as cover to undermine Russia and said it hadidentified teachers at leading universities who cooperated withthe London charity.
With the war in Ukraine intensifying more than three yearssince President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into the countryand amid a tentative rapprochement between Moscow andWashington, Britain is now considered "enemy number one" byRussian officials.
The British Council, which calls itself "the UK'sinternational organisation for cultural relations andeducational opportunities", said in 2018 that it had been toldto cease operations in Russia.
The British Council said that it was disappointed with whatit cast as a Russian "ban on all collaboration with the BritishCouncil" and said allegations it was involved in espionage werefalse. British intelligence could not be reached for comment.
The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB and one ofthe most powerful organisations in Russia, said that it hadidentified teaching staff from leading universities in fourRussian regions who had cooperated with the British Council.
The FSB said the British Council was used by Britishintelligence for attempts to erase Russian identity and developa global network of agents of influence.
"During the investigation, representatives of the teachingstaff of leading Russian universities who collaborated with theBritish side to the detriment of the security of the RussianFederation were identified," the FSB said.
The FSB, which said that 15 Russian citizens had beenofficially warned over their cooperation with the BritishCouncil, implored allies to ban the British Council andcautioned citizens to have no contact with it.
"On 5 June, the Russian Government announced a ban on allcollaboration with the British Council. We are disappointed bythis development," the Council said in an emailed statement.
"Whilst political relationships can fluctuate, webelieve that it is vital to maintain on-going dialogue betweenpeople and institutions around the world."
The British Council, originally called the BritishCommittee for Relations with Other Countries, was founded in1934 to spread British "soft power" amid the rise of fascism andcommunism, according to an official history on its website.
On Russian allegations that it was involved inespionage, the Council said: "These allegations are false."
"We work to support peace and prosperity between the UKand other countries through arts and culture, education andEnglish language teaching," it said.
The disparate and divided Russian opposition, which is nowmostly abroad, accuses Putin of building an increasinglyrepressive and autocratic regime in Russia as Moscow faces offagainst the West over Ukraine.(Reporting by Reuters in Moscow; Editing by Alex Richardson andDiane Craft)