COLD WAR II
Putin vows revenge as PM kicks out 23 Russian spooks in poison storm
BRITAIN is braced for Cold War II after Prime Minister Theresa May expelled 23 Russian spies.
She said president Vladimir Putin had shown “contempt” by failing to explain the poisoning of Sergei Skripal.
But Putin branded the expulsions a “provocation”, vowing revenge.
Jeremy Corbyn is facing a Labour rebellion for refusing to blame Moscow.
THE nerve agent crisis escalated last night as Russia prepared a response to Britain’s biggest spy expulsion for 30 years and other sanctions.
As well as booting out 23 Russian spooks – nearly half of Moscow’s diplomats in the UK – Mrs May also unveiled tough new checks on flights and goods from Moscow.
All visits to the UK by Russian ministers were also banned.
The PM froze assets belonging to Putin’s government to stop them being used for wrongdoing.
And she said suspected Russian spies would be detained at borders like terrorists. She also confirmed ministers or members of the Royal Family will attend this summer’s World Cup in Russia.
She stopped short of calling on the England team to pull out.
But thousands of England fans were issued with a fresh warning to be vigilant and aware of antiBritish sentiment if they insist on travelling to the tournament.
The PM said Russia had shown “contempt and defiance” in the aftermath of a bid to kill ex-MI6 agent Sergei Skripal. And she warned the poisoning was an “unlawful use of force by Russia against the United Kingdom”.
Mrs May told MPs Russia had provided “no explanation” as to how the nerve agent came to be 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, monino 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
There’s no conclusion other than the Russian state was culpable THERESA MAY ON NERVE AGENT ATTACK YESTERDAY
after double agent Oleg Gordievsky defected, leaving Britain plunged into a new Cold War
British Ambassdor in Moscow Laurie Bristow expects a similar number of his officials to be expelled.
But senior Government sources said further retaliation could be unleashed if Russia responds in a “disproportionate” way.
It could include kicking out more Russian diplomats such as declared intelligence officers.
The ambassador could also be expelled, but officials are reluctant to take such an extreme move.
There are other options the UK could pursue which cannot be made public, including investigations which might lead to legal action, an added. Whitehall wants to maintain elements of surprise.
Defence experts said the booting out of 23 diplomats was “very significant” .
The Kremlin currently has 58 diplomats based in London.
Royal United Services Institute deputy director general Prof Malcolm Chalmers said: “That’s a very high proportion of the Russian presence.
“Everyone expects reciprocal action.”
But it would be “much harder” for Britain’s allies to take “concrete steps” in support of the UK, such as kicking out Russian diplomats, he said. But NATO allies expressed “deep concern” at the Salisbury attack last night and said it was a “clear breach of international norms and agreements”.
Mrs May said Britain would be pushing for a “robust international response” at the UN Security Council.
And US United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley backed her in advance last night
“The United States stands in absoofficial lute solidarity with Great Britain,” she said. “If we don’t take immediate concrete measures, Salisbury will not be the last place we see chemical weapons. This is a defining moment.”
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson is giving a £48million boost to Porton Down, which pinpointed the Novichok nerve agent used to poison Sergei Skripal,
Skripal, 66, and daughter Yulia, 33, are fighting for life following the attack on March 4. Det Sgt Nick Bailey is serious but stable.
As fears over the World Cup rumbled on, Senior Tory MP Bernard Jenkin called for the England football team to be pulled out.