The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
US sanctions on Russia over Salisbury attack ‘draconian’
Americans conclude Moscow responsible for poisoning
Russia has angrily denounced the imposition of “draconian” new US sanctions after the administration concluded Moscow was responsible for the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
The embassy in Washington accused the Americans of running a “sanctions assembly line” after the surprise announcement by the State Department on Wednesday.
The Kremlin said the US action was “absolutely unlawful” but played down the prospect of immediate tit-for-tat measures.
The move came despite controversial talks between US president Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki last month.
In its statement, the Russian Embassy accused the US of failing to provide any justification for the action.
It said: “We grew accustomed to not hearing any facts or evidence. The American side refused to answer our follow-up questions, claiming that the information is classified. However, we were told that the US has enough intel to conclude that Russia is to blame.”
It added: “We confirmed that we continue to strongly stand for an open and transparent investigation of the crime committed in Salisbury and for bringing the culprits to justice.
“We suggested publishing our correspondence on this issue. No answer has followed so far.”
Ministry for Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the UK Government’s defence laboratory at Porton Down should be “the focus of investigations”.
The US move was warmly welcomed by Downing Street, which has consistently blamed Moscow for the attack in March on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a military-grade Novichok nerve agent developed by the former Soviet Union.
Two other people, Dawn Sturgess and her partner, Charlie Rowley, were subsequently exposed to the nerve agent. Ms Sturgess died eight days later.