Putin vows to hit back & calls UK ‘fully fledged liars’

used in Salisbury. And Moscow’s response was one of “sarcasm, contempt and defiance”, she said.

The PM, who was earlier briefed by intelligence chiefs, added there was “no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable” for the attack.

She said it was “tragic” that Putin had “chosen to act in this way”.

But Putin’s officials responded with fury, saying Britain’s tough response was “unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted” and describing it as a “provocation”.

Britain was last night beefing up cyber defences in readiness for a retaliatory Kremlin attack. And protection for vital communications and internet cables, moni- tored by Russian ships on the seabed, were also being reinforced.

Russia’s ambassador in London was hauled into the Foreign Office and handed a list of names after the National Security Council agreed to boot out the diplomats.

Mrs May said the diplomats, who have a week to leave, were “undeclared intelligence officers”.

Russia denies attempted murder and foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would take “fitting...symmetrical appropriate measures”.

She said the UK had no idea about professionalism or diplomacy, and were “fully fledged liars”.

The mass expulsion is the largest since 31 were ordered out in 1985