PURGE OF KREMLIN SPIES

Now FIVE nations could join UK in expelling Russian agents in protest at Salisbury attack

THE Kremlin faced having its European spy network dismantled last night as France, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania considered joining Britain’s lead in expelling Russian agents.

As Theresa May warned EU leaders their countries were ‘at risk’ from Russia, sources said the five nations were among a string of EU states who may boot out diplomats.

The move came after the Prime Minister used a Brussels summit yesterday to brief the 28 European leaders on the Salisbury attack, which left former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia fighting for their lives.

Mrs May warned her counterparts that the attack showed ‘the Russian threat does not respect borders and, as such, we are all at risk’.

The first sign of the diplomatic offensive bearing fruit came last night, when Lithuania indicated it could boot out suspected Russian spies.

Asked about the issue, Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite said: ‘We are considering such measures.’ A French diplomat confirmed a string of EU nations were drawing up plans for a co-ordinated expulsion of Russian agents.

‘Certain countries are ready for possible action, decided at a national level in consultation with other European states,’ the diplomat said.

Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevieius also suggested the World Cup in Russia ‘shouldn’t happen’. He added: ‘In Russia everything’s used for politics and to make Russia proud at being capital of this world religion football, I don’t believe it’s very productive frankly.’

Britain expelled 23 suspected agents in the wake of the Salisbury attack, and has warned allies privately that they should consider following suit. But Mrs May is also battling to counter an emerging north-south split in EU attitudes to Russia. She warned leaders that the Salisbury attack was part of a ‘pattern’ of aggressive Russian behaviour. A senior British official said: ‘Russia has shown itself to be a strategic enemy, not a strategic partner.’

The official stressed the UK was ‘not looking for confrontation’, but wanted to show Russia that its aggression would not go unchallenged.

Yesterday Moscow’s ambassador in the UK was no mood for diplomacy.

In a rare press conference at his London embassy, Alexander Yakovenko hit back at Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for ‘insulting’ the Russian people by likening Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.

He warned that ‘nobody has the right’ to compare Russia with Nazi Germany.

He also attacked Britain over what he called its ‘wild’ accusations at the Kremlin over the Salisbury poisoning.

He said Britain was painting a picture of Russia as an ‘enemy’.

On Wednesday Mr Johnson had escalated the war of words by comparing Mr Putin’s hosting of this summer’s World Cup with Hitler’s 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Asked about the comments, Mr Yakovenko, 63, a career diplomat who was handed the role in 2011, said they were ‘unacceptable and totally irresponsible’.

He said: ‘The British Government is free to make a decision about its participation in the World Cup, but nobody has the right to insult the Russian people, who defeated Nazism and who lost more than 25million people, by comparing our country to Nazi Germany.

‘That goes beyond the common sense and we do not think British war veterans, including those of the Arctic convoys would share this opinion.’

Mr Yakovenko boasted that the World Cup would be an opportunity for the Kremlin to ‘advertise the Russian standards of living’, and said Russia had been chosen by the world to host it.

He said: ‘We build absolutely fascinating infrastructure. Visa-free regime, new facilities, fascinating hotels, so we are hosting all these people.

‘So of course this will be the advertising of the Russian standards of living. It is the decision not of one country but it is the decision of the world.’

Yesterday, while northern allies voiced support for the UK, some southern countries publicly expressed doubts.

Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borissov said he was not sure Russia was behind the Salisbury attack, while Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras said there was a ‘need to investigate’ the Salisbury incident fully before taking further action.

‘We are all at risk’