Russian prosecutorsyesterday said they had re-opened criminal investigations against the British Council in St Petersburg a day after the country's security services accused British diplomats of spying and financing non-governmental organisations in Russia.

The British embassy in Moscow branded the move "unwarranted", and UK government officials said it was evidence of the Russian government's hostile stance towards NGOs. "They have difficulty with the funding of people who promote democracy," one senior official said. "They are trying to up the ante with more pressure on NGOs."