On Wednesday two offices of the British Council in Russia were closed due to tensions between London and Moscow.

One recorded message at the St. Petersburg office says that because of some action against the British Council, staff cannot open the office.

Britain refused to close the offices in St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg until the staff was told that their work is illegal.

Russia is accusing the organization of tax violations.

The British Council denies such allegations.

According to a British official, the closing was temporary. It occurred after organization’s director, Stephen Kinnock, was detained by Russian police in front of his home and was accused of drunken driving.

One spokesman for the British Embassy in Moscow, James Barbour, said: “First thing to say, right up front: he was not drunk,” the New York Times reports.

Kinnock is the son of former Labour leader Neil Kinnock and due to his political status was not charged or arrested for anything.

The accusations brought against him were criticized in London by David Miliband, Britain’s foreign secretary, who said that Russia was doing this only to intimidate.

Miliband accused the actions that were made as being "completely unacceptable" and "very serious," the Press Association informs.

The employees at the St. Petersburg office were questioned by the FSB secret police and the tax police.

Yury V. Fedotov, Russian ambassador in London, was called upon to meet a senior British official.

The British official talked on the condition of anonymity saying: “We would like to hear where the Russians plan to take it from here.”

The dispute between the two countries goes back to the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London. Ever since Russia refused to hand over Andrei Lugovoy, the prime suspect, to Britain, the British Council has become a main target for Russia.

Mr Miliband said: "The work of the British Council in Russia is completely legal under Russian and international law, and we think it is very important to defend the integrity of our officials in the work that they are doing. The only losers from any attack on the British Council are the Russian citizens who want to use it - one and a quarter million last year - and the reputation of the Russian government."

On Thursday the British Council is expected to make a statement regarding the state of the St. Petersburg office.