May: Russia behind poisoning of ex-spy
LONDON: UK Prime Minister Theresa May blamed Russia for poisoning a former spy and his daughter eight days after the two were found slumped on a bench in southern England.
May told Parliament on Monday that Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia had been targeted with “military grade” nerve agent of a type known to be developed by Russia.
“The government has concluded that it is highly likely that Russia was responsible,” May said. “Either this was a direct act by the Russian state against our country, or the Russian government lost control.”
May said the attack fits a pattern of Russian aggression, adding that Moscow’s ambassador has been summoned to explain what happened.
May’s announcement comes less than a week before Russians go to vote in an election that will be almost certainly grant Vladimir Putin a fourth term as president.
When asked if his country was to blame for the poisoning, Putin said on Monday: “Get to the bottom of things there, then we’ll discuss this.”
The two victims of the attack were found unconscious in Salisbury after coming into contact with what police later identified as a nerve agent. They remain in hospital. A police officer who arrived on the scene was also hospitalised in a serious condition.