The relations between Russia and Britain, strained following the death of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian security officer and outspoken Kremlin critic, from poisoning in London last November, suffered a new setback earlier this week.
First, Russia's prosecutors formally refused to extradite businessman Andrei Lugovoi, accused by the U.K. of murdering Litvinenko. Then Britain's Crown Prosecution Service announced it would not institute criminal proceedings against fugitive Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky recently accused by Russia of calls to overthrow the government.
Meanwhile, Russophobia in Britain was leading to problems ranging from discrimination in shops and restaurants to serious assaults, Yuri Fedotov, the Russian ambassador to London, said in an interview with The Sunday Times.
Fedotov said he could quote examples where Russian tourists, visitors and businessmen were beaten by youngsters in London and the police did not open any criminal investigation on these incidents while offences committed by Russians were dealt with swiftly and disproportionately.
"Maybe that is as a result of the stereotype that any Russian is connected to the mafia," the paper quoted Fedotov as saying.
Nevertheless, Russia has become increasingly important to Britain, the paper said. "More than 170,000 Russian tourists visit every year and more than 2,000 Russian students are enrolled at British universities."
Annual trade with Russia has risen to more than 7 billion pounds (about $14 billion) and Russians have spent more than 2.2 billion pounds (about $4.4 billion) on property in Britain since 2000, The Sunday Times said.
The Russian ambassador expressed the hope for better bilateral relations: "I hope that we will be able to overcome the current stage and we will be able to improve our relations."
