Ambassador’s Cold War threats

RUSSIA has angrily denied it has spies in Australia, accusing the Turnbull Government of supporting a global conspiracy against it that could inflame a new Cold War.

Russian ambassador Grigory Logvinov also mocked suggestions his nation was to blame for the downing of MH17, which killed 38 Australians, saying there was “no evidence” and that critics were “little children”.

Australia moved to expel two Russian spies this week as part of a global response to Russia’s nerve agent assassination attempt in Britain, which Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said was part of a worrying pattern of “recklessness and aggression”.

The spies now have five days to leave the country but Mr Logvinov maintained they were “legal career diplomats”.

In an extraordinary press conference, Russia’s top diplomat said his country would not “fall on its knees” in the face of a “primitive and incompetent” campaign against it. He refused to rule out conflict, saying it was a question for the US, Britain and their allies.

“If the West will follow this line I’m afraid we will be deeply in a Cold War situation,” Mr Logvinov said.

He blamed British authorities for “inventing” evidence to blame them for the chemical weapons attack.

Mr Logvinov said Russian President Vladimir Putin was working on “different options” to respond. It is expected Australian diplomats will now be expelled from Russia.