MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. The United Kingdom blocks rotation at the Russian diplomatic mission, delaying visa issuance for Russian diplomats, since visa processing times take on average between 12 to 18 months, Russia’s Ambassador to London Alexander Yakovenko said in a televised interview with the Rossiya-24 channel on Saturday.

"Diplomats cannot obtain British visas as an average waiting period is from one year to a year and a half. It is utterly abnormal since no other country does so. The British government merely blocks the renewal of staff at the diplomatic mission," he said.

Yakovenko pointed out that "the point is that actually the mission is being suffocated because people are being expelled while some just end their tenure in a natural way."

"They cannot work here [in the UK] forever, but those people cannot be replaced. For example, an employee, who was heading the press office, has left without any replacement," the Russian ambassador said.

"It is an intentional policy carried out by the current British government," Yakovenko said.

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