Boris: Putin to blame for murder plot

ACCUSATION Johnson yesterday at the Battle of Britain bunker in Uxbridge BORIS Johnson yesterday accused Vladimir Putin of personally ordering the assassination of Sergei Skripal.

The Foreign Secretary said “our quarrel is with Putin’s Kremlin, and his decision” to demand the murder bid.

Speaking during a visit to a West London military bunker with the Polish foreign minister, Mr Johnson said: “We think it overwhelmingly likely that it was his decision to direct the use of a nerve agent on the streets of the UK, on the streets of Europe, for the first time since the Second World War.”

Russia denies involvement and said the accusations against Mr Putin were “shocking and unforgivable”.

Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, remain critically ill in hospital.

The UK Government has said they were poisoned with a nerve agent developed by Russia and Theresa May believed Moscow was “culpable”. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had launched a probe into the attempted murder of Yulia, who it said was a Russian citizen, and the murder of Nikolai Glushkov, 68, in Britain. Russia continued to consider how to respond to the biggest expulsion of diplomats since the Cold War was announced. Mr Putin has said Russia was “proud” and “will be in the future”. Last night Russia’s ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, called Britain’s action a “gross provocation”. He said the British investigation was “untransparent and secret”, with “no proof” Mr Skripal was gravely ill. Asked if the PM was a liar, he replied: “Definitely we’d like to see the statements of the Prime Minister supported by facts.” Labour MP Stephen Kinnock said the World Cup should be delayed until 2019 and moved out of Russia. ACCUSED President Putin