Russia’s fury as US brings in sanctions over Skripal

RUSSIA reacted furiously yesterday to America’s decision to hit it with sanctions after concluding it was responsible for the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

While the US action was welcomed in Britain, Moscow said it was illegal. It accused the US of ‘demonising Russia’ and announced it was working on ‘retaliatory measures’.

Senior Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev accused the US of behaving like ‘a police state that extracts evidence from suspects through torture and threats’.

However, Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, thanked the US. He said nerve agents and other ‘ horrific’ weapons must not become a new norm, and that ‘states like Russia that condone their use need to know there is a price to pay’. The US announcement caused Russian stock markets to drop dramatically on opening and the rouble reached its lowest point since November 2016.

The State Department has concluded Moscow broke international law by poisoning Sergei and Yulia Skripal. Its findings automatically triggered sanctions under a 1991 US law on chemical weapons.

They could cost Russia hundreds of millions of dollars in lost business and will take effect on or around August 22. They will apply to all state-owned and state-funded enter- prises and cover sensitive technologies that can have military applications, so will affect exports of electronics, computers, sensors, lasers and oil and gas equipment.

The penalties come despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to improve relations with Russia and its leader, Vladimir Putin.

America has threatened a harsher second set of sanctions in 90 days unless Russia provides ‘ reliable assurances’ that it is no longer using chemical weapons and that it will not in the future. It must allow inspections by the UN or other international observers to verify this.

The decision, approved by Mr Trump, comes five months after the poisoning of the Skripals.

Britain has shared evidence with allies, prompting the expulsion of more than 120 Russian agents working under diplomatic cover from the West, including 60 from America.

The sanctions come as the British authorities appear to be making progress in the case. It was reported this week that the Government is soon to submit an extradition request for two Russians suspected of carrying out the Salisbury attack. Russia insists it was not involved.

Visitor numbers in Salisbury have slumped following the attack on the Skripals. The number of tourists fell by 12.5 per cent in July compared with the year before, the Salisbury Business Improvement District said. Last month there were 793,684 visitors to the Wiltshire city, down from 907,437 in July last year.

‘Reliable assurances’