Monday, 19 October 2026 | Lusaka, Zambia | All times CAT
Updated 3 minutes ago Topics Journalists Our network Advertise
Lakatips Sourcing the truth from every corner of Zambia

Lakatips

For Zambian newsrooms

Your reporting, credited and linked back

Join the newsrooms whose work reaches readers through Lakatips — your name on every story, and a route straight back to you.

Our network
Just in

Politics

Russia Withdraws Ambassador From London Without Replacement, Raising Fears of Diplomatic Downgrade

Russia has withdrawn its ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrey Kelin, from London and has yet to nominate a successor, leaving the post vacant and raising concerns over a possible long-term downgrade in diplomatic relations. Kelin, who had served as Russia’s ambassador for

Russia Withdraws Ambassador From London Without Replacement, Raising Fears of Diplomatic Downgrade

Picture: Zambian Observer



Russia has withdrawn its ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrey Kelin, from London and has yet to nominate a successor, leaving the post vacant and raising concerns over a possible long-term downgrade in diplomatic relations.



Kelin, who had served as Russia’s ambassador for more than seven years, left his post on July 21. The Russian Embassy in London is currently being led by a chargé d’affaires.



The move comes as relations between Moscow and London have deteriorated to what the Russian Embassy described as an “unprecedentedly low level,” amid escalating tensions over Britain’s military and political support for Ukraine.



However, Moscow has denied that it intends to formally downgrade diplomatic relations with the UK. The absence of a replacement ambassador could nevertheless leave bilateral ties operating at a lower political level for an extended period.

Source: Zambian Observer — Read more

More to read

All Politics →

Sikaile Urges Amnesty International to Review Allegations against Emmanuel Jay Band

Human rights advocate and governance and development researcher Sikaile Sikaile has called on Amnesty International to undertake a comprehensive, impartial and evidence-based assessment of allegations involving Emmanuel Jay Banda. He says allegations including reported incidents of violence, statements allegedly advocating violence against President Hakainde Hichilema…

Diamond TV • • 1 min read

Csos to Challenge Pr Seat Allocation

Civil Society Organisations are considering taking the redistribution of proportional representation seats from the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRP-UPP) to the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) to the Constitutional Court. The CSOs argue that the Electoral Process Amendment Act, under…

Diamond TV • • 2 min read
One-time sign-up

Keep reading at Zambian Observer

Lakatips is free, and it stays free. Sign up once and we will send you through to Zambian Observer — and to every other newsroom in the network after that, without asking again.

We use your details for the morning briefing and to tell newsrooms how many readers we send them — never as a list to be sold on. See our privacy policy.