Moscow : A top Russian diplomat says the nerve agent poisoning of a former Russian spy may have been arranged by Britain to justify military spending.
The March 4 poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury sent shockwaves across Europe. British authorities suspect Skripal was poisoned by a Soviet-made nerve agent. Moscow vehemently denies its responsibility.
European Union nations, the United States and other Western countries joined Britain in expelling more than 150 Russian diplomats from their countries.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko in comments relayed by Russian news agencies called Skripal’s poisoning a “provocation arranged by Britain” in order to justify high military spending because “they need a major enemy.”
Meanwhile, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the world’s chemical watchdog, said that they will meet on Wednesday to discuss Britain’s allegations against Russia that it had a hand in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, documents said on Tuesday.
“The chairperson of the Executive Council… has received a request by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation… to convene a meeting of the Executive Council,” the OPCW said.
The confidential meeting will start at 10.00 am (0800 GMT) at the OPCW’s headquarters in The Hague.
UK lab fails to identify source of nerve agent
London: The head of the British military facility analysing the Novichok nerve agent used to poison Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter said on Tuesday it has “not identified the precise source” of the substance. Gary Aitkenhead, chief executive of the Porton Down defence laboratory, told Britain’s Sky News that analysts had identified it as military-grade Novichok, but they had not proved it was made in Russia.