Miliband warns Russia over 'intimidation'

Britain's consulate in St Petersburg said the British Council office in the northern city had been forced to shut temporarily because all its Russian staff had been told to report to the authorities for the second time in 24 hours.

Russia has demanded the British Council close two regional offices in a dispute that has its roots in the 2006 murder of Alexander Litvinenko, a Kremlin critic and former Russian agent who died in London from radiation poisoning.

Britain has refused to shut down the offices – in St Petersburg and the Urals city of Yekaterinburg – and rejects Russia's allegation that they are operating illegally.

A British Council spokeswoman in London said staff of the cultural organisation in both cities had been summoned on Tuesday by the Federal Security Service, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB secret police. The staff were also visited at their homes on Tuesday evening by Interior Ministry officials, she said.

Russian officials said they were explaining the situation to Council staff, not questioning them.

The Council said Stephen Kinnock, the head of its St Petersburg operations and son of former European Commissioner Neil Kinnock, had been stopped by police on Tuesday evening for an alleged traffic violation.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said: "Any intimidation or harassment of officials is obviously completely unacceptable."

He said the head of the British diplomatic service, Peter Ricketts, would explain Britain's position at a meeting with Yuri Fedotov, the Russian Ambassador.

"The only losers from any attack on the British Council are Russian citizens who want to use the British Council … and the reputation of the Russian government," Mr Miliband said.

The Council promotes British culture abroad by organising concerts, exhibitions and educational exchanges.

Relations between Britain and Russia are considered to be at their worst since the Cold War.