The history of Britain and Russia relations

Relations between England and Tsarist Russia
The Kingdom of England and Tsardom of Russia established relations in 1553 when English navigator Richard Chancellor arrived in Arkhangelsk
He returned to England and was sent back to Russia in 1555, the same year the Muscovy Company was established

Ivan IV demonstrates his treasures to Jerome Horsey, the
ambassador of Queen Elizabeth. Painting by A. Litovchenko ,
1875

United Kingdom—Russian Empire relations
The two empires found themselves as sometimes allies and sometimes enemies. The two states fought on the same side during War of the Austrian Succession (1740—1748), but on opposite sides during Seven Years' War (1756—1763)
On the 5th of September 1800 Britain occupied Malta, while the Emperor Paul I of Russia was the Head of the Malta government

United Kingdom—Russian Empire relations
The Eastern Question and the fate of the Ottoman Empire (Османская империя) became of interest to both countries, and they both intervened in the Greek War of Independence (1821—1829)
It lead to the Crimean War (1853—1856) fought by Britain, France, and the Ottomans against Russia.

The Great Game (1813-1907)
The rivalry (соперничество) between Britain and Russia developed over Central Asia in the Great Game of the late nineteenth century, as Russia desired warm-water ports in the Indian Ocean
The Anglo-Russian
Convention of 1907
made both countries
part of the Triple Entente

United Kingdom—Soviet Union relations
The United Kingdom recognized the USSR (1917—1991) on February 1, 1924
In 1938 Britain and France signed the Munich Agreement with Germany. The USSR opposed to the pact and refused to recognize Germany's annexation of part of Czechoslovakia.

In 1941, Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, attacking the USSR. The USSR became one of the Allies of World War II along with Britain, fighting against the Axis Powers.
Soviet-UK agreement against Germany

United Kingdom—Soviet Union relations
The Soviet spy agency, the KGB, was suspected of the murder of George Markov in London in 1978
British prime minister Margaret Thatcher pursued a strong anti-communist policy in concert with Ronald Reagan during the 1980s
Although relations became warmer after Mikhail Gorbachev coming to power in 1985

United Kingdom—Russian Federation relations
After the collapse of the USSR, relations were initially warm.
In 2003, Russia requested the extradition of Boris Berezovsky and Chechen separatist Akhmed Zakayev, but Britain refused, having given them both political asylum (политическое убежище)
In late 2006, former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned in London by radioactive metalloid, Polonium-210 and died 3 weeks later.

During the 2008 South Ossetia war between Russia and Georgia, the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, visited the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi to meet with the president and said the UK's government and people "stood in solidarity" with the Georgian people.
In 2010 MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5) warned that Russian spy operations in the United Kingdom are at Cold War levels.