On Thursday, Moscow stated that British diplomats serving in Russia must notify authorities before their moves within the country.

Russia's foreign ministry announced that it had called Britain's charge d'affaires, Tom Dodd, to advise him of a "notification procedure for the movement of employees of British diplomatic missions on our territory."

PHOTO | COURTESY Russian President Vladimir Putin

According to a statement, the measures were taken in reaction to London's "hostile actions" and British measures "hindering the normal operation of Russia's foreign mission in the UK."

The procedure will be mandatory for "accredited personnel" of the British embassy in Moscow and the consulate general in Yekaterinburg, Russia's Ural region.

PHOTO | COURTESY Russian President Vladimir Putin

The British ambassador and a few other senior ambassadors are exempt.

The diplomats must notify authorities of any travel outside the "120-kilometer free movement zone," according to the ministry.

This should include "information about the timings, purpose, type of trip, planned business contacts, accompanying persons, mode of transportation, places to visit and stay, as well as the trip route."