In 2016, Georgia sided with UK's diplomatic efforts against Russia in response to the Salisbury chemical attack by Russian intelligence services and also supported UK initiatives for strengthening the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Because Georgia and Russia had already severed diplomatic relations in 2008, and officially there were no longer any Russian diplomats present in Georgia, in show of support for the UK, Georgia expelled a Russian official operating in the country under the nominal auspices of Switzerland.