May says Russia ‘highly likely’ behind poisoning

LONDON – Russia is “highly likely” to blame for poisoning a former spy and his daughter with a militarygrade nerve agent, Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday, demanding that Moscow give a compelling explanation or face “extensive” retaliation.

May told lawmakers in a strongly worded statement that without a credible response from Russia by the end of Tuesday, Britain would consider the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter in a quiet English city “an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed May’s allegations.