Spy poisoning: British government slams Russian expulsion and will consider “next steps”
Britain’s diplomatic row with Russia shows no sign of abating as the Foreign Office said it will “consider next steps” after 23 UK diplomats were today booted out by the Kremlin.
Russia’s move this morning to expel British representatives and close the British Consulate-General in St Petersburg and British Council in Moscow was “anticipated”, a government spokesperson said.
“Russia’s response doesn’t change the facts of the matter – the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable,” the Foreign Office said.
It is Russia that is in flagrant breach of international law and the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Read more: Russia hits back by throwing out 23 British diplomats
The British ambassador to Russia Laurie Bristow was this morning summoned to the Kremlin for the second time this week to be told of the retaliatory action taken by Russian authorities.
Earlier this week the UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats after the Kremlin failed to respond to a demand by Prime Minister Theresa May to explain whether it was involved in a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
The Foreign Office said today the Russian response followed Britain’s action “to dismantle the Russian espionage network operating in the UK”.
The spokesperson added:
In light of Russia’s previous behaviour, we anticipated a response of this kind and the National Security Council will meet early next week to consider next steps. Our priority today is looking after our staff in Russia and assisting those that will return to the UK.
“We have no disagreement with the people of Russia and we continue to believe it is not in our national interest to break off all dialogue between our countries but the onus remains on the Russian state to account for their actions and to comply with their international obligations.”
Read more: PM: Diplomats out, World Cup boycott after Skripal “attempted murder”