Russia and Britain trade insults over Salisbury poisoning affair

United nations: UK remains defiant as Russia says it is ‘playing with fire’

Russia has warned Britain is “playing with fire and will be sorry” over the Salisbury poisoning as it emerged Yulia Skripal’s strength is “growing daily”.

The two countries referenced British dramas and the Nazis as they traded jibes at the United Nations, with the UK arguing that doubt should not be cast on the likelihood of Russian responsibility for the Novichok nerve agent attack and that British actions “stand up to any scrutiny”.

However, Russian UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya pointed to Midsomer Murders and read from Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland to mock suggestions of Russian involvement.

He claimed the UK’S main argument about the “unquestionable Russian origin” of the Novichok is “no longer valid” following comments from Porton Down’s Gary Aitkenhead.

Mr Nebenzya later accused the West of “using the method of Dr Goebbels – lies that are repeated a thousand times become the truth” by trying to manipulate people via the media.

However, security minister Ben Wallace said it was “beyond reasonable doubt” that Russia was to blame for the attack, as the UK sought to maintain diplomatic pressure over the incident.

The terse exchanges at the UN Security Council in New York capped another day of developments and diplomatic disagreements, which saw the first public comments emerge from Ms Skripal since the March 4 attack which left her and her father Sergei in intensive care.

Ms Skripal’s remarks were released shortly after Russian TV reported that she had contacted a relative in Moscow to say she and her Russian spy father were recovering and that she would soon be discharged from hospital.

Ms Skripal, 33, in her first statement since coming out of a coma, said: “I woke up over a week ago now and am glad to say my strength is growing daily. I am grateful for the interest in me and for the many messages of goodwill that I have received.”

In the statement released by the Metropolitan Police, she thanked healthcare workers at Salisbury District Hospital as well as “the people of Salisbury that came to my aid when my father and I were incapacitated”.

She added: “I hope that you’ll respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence.”

Picture: AP. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya holds up a British report on the Salisbury incident as he speaks at the United Nations.