Russia Ex-spy Poisoning

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent poisoned in Britain, a scumbag who had betrayed Russia.

A suspect in the nerve agent poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in Britain in March is a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, investigative website Bellingcat alleged on Wednesday.

Moscow on Thursday said it feared the UK had forcibly detained Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned along with her father in England last month and on Wednesday refused Russian consular assistance.

The poisoning of a former Russian double agent in Britain with a nerve agent last month shows "how reckless Russia is prepared to be", the head of Britain's GCHQ spy agency said on Thursday in a scathing attack on the Kremlin.

Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned with a nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury last month along with her Russian ex-spy father, has been discharged from hospital, the BBC and Sky news reported Tuesday.

As the world blames it for a poison attack on British soil, the Russian government has launched what critics call a campaign of misdirection.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday expressed hope a meeting of the world's chemical weapons watchdog would put a "full stop" to the issue of an ex-spy whose poisoning in Britain has been blamed on Moscow.

A Cold War-era scientist acknowledged on Tuesday he had helped create the nerve agent that Britain says was used to poison an ex-spy and his daughter, contradicting Moscow's insistence that neither Russia nor the Soviet Union ever had such a programme.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday said statements by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tying Russian President Vladimir Putin to the attack on an ex-double agent were "shocking and unforgiveable".

Britain, France, Germany and the United States condemned a nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy, saying there was "no plausible alternative explanation" to Russian involvement and urging Moscow to disclose details of a Soviet chemical weapons programme.

Moscow on Wednesday called Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy a sign that London was choosing confrontation with Russia, adding that retaliation would follow shortly.

Russia on Tuesday rejected Britain's demand that Moscow provide an explanation over the poisoning of an ex-double agent and said London should provide Moscow with access to the nerve agent.

Western allies voiced support for Britain late Monday, after Prime Minister Theresa May said it was "highly likely" that Moscow was responsible for a nerve agent attack on a Russian former double agent.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent poisoned in Britain, a scumbag who had betrayed Russia.

A suspect in the nerve agent poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in Britain in March is a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, investigative website Bellingcat alleged on Wednesday.

Moscow on Thursday said it feared the UK had forcibly detained Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned along with her father in England last month and on Wednesday refused Russian consular assistance.

The poisoning of a former Russian double agent in Britain with a nerve agent last month shows "how reckless Russia is prepared to be", the head of Britain's GCHQ spy agency said on Thursday in a scathing attack on the Kremlin.

Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned with a nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury last month along with her Russian ex-spy father, has been discharged from hospital, the BBC and Sky news reported Tuesday.

As the world blames it for a poison attack on British soil, the Russian government has launched what critics call a campaign of misdirection.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday expressed hope a meeting of the world's chemical weapons watchdog would put a "full stop" to the issue of an ex-spy whose poisoning in Britain has been blamed on Moscow.

A Cold War-era scientist acknowledged on Tuesday he had helped create the nerve agent that Britain says was used to poison an ex-spy and his daughter, contradicting Moscow's insistence that neither Russia nor the Soviet Union ever had such a programme.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday said statements by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tying Russian President Vladimir Putin to the attack on an ex-double agent were "shocking and unforgiveable".

Britain, France, Germany and the United States condemned a nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy, saying there was "no plausible alternative explanation" to Russian involvement and urging Moscow to disclose details of a Soviet chemical weapons programme.

Moscow on Wednesday called Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy a sign that London was choosing confrontation with Russia, adding that retaliation would follow shortly.

Russia on Tuesday rejected Britain's demand that Moscow provide an explanation over the poisoning of an ex-double agent and said London should provide Moscow with access to the nerve agent.

Western allies voiced support for Britain late Monday, after Prime Minister Theresa May said it was "highly likely" that Moscow was responsible for a nerve agent attack on a Russian former double agent.