Poisoning row: UK accuses Russia of new ‘tactics’

london — Britain on Saturday accused Moscow of pursuing a new “diversionary tactic” over last month’s poisoning of an exspy in the English city of Salisbury, as it considers a request by Russia’s Ambassador in London for a meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

The fresh recriminations came after the Russian Embassy in Britain branded its interactions with the foreign office “utterly unsatisfactory” and said it was “high time” Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko met Johnson to discuss the probe into the poisoning.

“It’s Russia’s response that has been unsatisfactory,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement, adding it would respond to the request “in due course”.

“It’s over three weeks since we asked Russia to engage constructively and answer a number of questions relating to the attempted assassinations of Mr Skripal and his daughter.

“Now, after failing in their attempts in the United Nations and international chemical weapons watchdog this week and with the victims’ condition improving, they seem to be pursuing a different diversionary tactic.”

Relations between London and Moscow have plumbed new depths following the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia on March 4.

The conditions of the Skripals has continued to improve this week, with the ex-spy no longer in critical condition, the hospital treating him said, and his daughter stating her strength was “growing daily”.

Britain and its Western allies have blamed the attack on Moscow, accusing it of targeting the pair with a Soviet-made militarygrade nerve agent, known as Novichok. —

Now, after failing in their attempts in the UN and international chemical weapons watchdog this week and with the victims’ condition improving, they seem to be pursuing a different diversionary tactic.

UK Foreign office