Britain may have poisoned spy, says Russian envoy

A top Russian diplomat says the nerve agent poisoning of a former Russian spy may have been arranged by Britain to justify military spending.

The March 4 poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury sent shockwaves across Europe. British authorities suspect Skripal was poisoned by a Sovietmade nerve agent. Moscow vehemently denies its responsibility.

European Union nations, the United States and other Western countries joined Britain in expelling more than 150 Russian diplomats

from their countries.

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko in comments relayed by Russian news agencies called Skripal’s poisoning a “provocation arranged by Britain” in order to justify high military spending because “they need a major enemy.”

Meanwhile, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the world's chemical watchdog, said that

they will meet on Wednesday to discuss Britain's allegations against Russia that it had a hand in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, documents said on Tuesday.

“The chairperson of the Executive Council... has received a request by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation... to convene a meeting of the Executive Council,” the OPCW said.