In Tit-for-Tat Action, Russia Expels US Diplomats, Closes US Consulate in St Petersburg

Yulia Skripal ‘improving rapidly

Russia has expelled 60 US diplomats and closed down the country’s consulate in St Petersburg in tit-for-tat measures against all the nations that have expelled Russian diplomats over nerve agent attack in Salisbury, The Guardian UK reported the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying.

The British newspaper also reported Lavrov as saying Moscow was calling a meeting of the Organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons on Tuesday in London.

More than 25 countries have announced plans to expel a total of more than 130 Russian diplomats in solidarity with the UK over what has been described as the first chemical weapons attack on European soil since the second world war.

Lavrov said US ambassador Jon Huntsman has been summoned to the foreign ministry, where he was given notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

Lavrov said Moscow will also retaliate to the US. decision to shut the Rus- sian consulate in Seattle by closing the US. consulate in St Petersburg.

The same approach will be applied to other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week, he added.

Earlier on Thursday the Russian foreign ministryaccused Britain of breaking international law by refusing to provide information on Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned along with her father, Sergei, a former spy, in Salisbury this month.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the ministry, said Britain had declined to cooperate with Russia on the investigation into the poisoning and had not provided any updates on Yulia Skripal despite the fact she was a Russian citizen.

Britain accuses Russia of responsibility for the poisoning, something Moscow vehemently denies.

Zakharova said Britain’s behaviour ran counter to a 1968 consular agreement signed between the then Soviet Union and Britain under which Moscow was meant to have access to its nationals on British soil and to be able to give them advice.

Zakharova said nobody had cancelled the agreement, which she said still had force in international law. The UK is likely to argue that an agreement between the UK and the Soviet Union is not enforceable in court and there is no reason to give Russia access to a woman it apparently tried to kill.

Meanwhile, a BBC report said that Yulia Skripal is “improving rapidly” and no longer in a critical condition, four weeks after the Salisbury poisoning.

The daughter of ex-spy Sergei Skripal was admitted after they came into contact with a nerve agent on 4 March.

“She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day,” BBC quoted the hospital as saying.

Meanwhile, Mr Skripal remains in a critical but stable condition.

“I want to take this opportunity to once again thank the staff of Salisbury District Hospital for delivering such high quality care to these patients over the last few weeks,” said Dr Christine Blanshard, Medical Director for Salisbury District Hospital.

“I am very proud both of our front- line staff and all those who support them.”

The police have placed cordons round a children’s play area at Montgomery Gardens near Mr Skripal’s home.