Britain hails US sanctions on Russia over spy attack
RUSSIA condemned the US yesterday for imposing “illegal” new sanctions over the Salisbury novichok nerve agent attack as Britain applauded the move.
The surprise sanctions, in line with US law that obliges action if chemical or biological weapons have been used, saw the value of Russia’s rouble plunge to a two-year low.
The US government has concluded that Moscow was behind the attack in March which targeted former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Last month Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after apparently spraying the chemical on to herself from a perfume bottle believed to have been discarded in Salisbury by the Skripals’ attackers.
Ms Sturgess’ partner Charlie Rowley, 45, survived after treatment.
Yesterday the Russian embassy in Washington accused the US of running a “sanctions assembly line” and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said they were “illegal” and against international law.
The US sanctions are expected to include an export ban on sensitive national security technology.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said states that “use or condone” chemical weapons “need to know there is a price to pay”, adding: “Thank you USA for standing firm with us on this.”
lPolice in Wiltshire face a bill of £10million for dealing with the attack, it emerged yesterday, including destroying vehicles exposed to the nerve agent.