Based on the positive identification of this chemical agent by world-leading experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down; our knowledge that Russia has previously produced this agent and would still be capable of doing so; Russia's record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations; and our assessment that Russia views some defectors as legitimate targets for assassinations; the Government has concluded that it is highly likely that Russia was responsible for the act against Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
A previous investigation by Bellingcat, founded by British citizen journalist Eliot Higgins, concluded the other undercover Russian intelligence officer suspected of poisoning the Skripals in Salisbury used the alias "Ruslan Boshirov." According to the BBC it was "the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history".The UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats on 14 March 2018. Bellingcat said it used databases, passport information, facial recognition technology and the suspects' digital footprints to establish and analyze their identities. 8 Oct. One of the chief measures was the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats which she presented as "actions to dismantle the Russian espionage network in the UK", as these diplomats had been identified by the UK as "undeclared intelligence agents".May said that some measures which the government planned could "not be shared publicly for reasons of national security".Boris Johnson said on 16 March that it was "overwhelmingly likely" that the poisoning had been ordered directly by Russian president Vladimir Putin, which marked the first time the British government accused Putin of personally ordering the poisoning.The UK had held an intelligence briefing with its allies in which it stated that the Novichok chemical used in the Salisbury poisoning was produced at a chemical facility in the town of Following Theresa May's 12 March statement in Parliament – in which she gave President Putin's administration until midnight of the following day to explain how a former spy was poisoned in Salisbury, otherwise she would conclude it was an "unlawful use of force" by the Russian state against the UK,On 17 March, Russia announced that it was expelling 23 British diplomats and ordered the closure of the UK's The poisoning has been officially declared to be a fabrication and a "grotesque provocation rudely staged by the British and U.S. intelligence agencies" to undermine Russia.In September, Russia described the Skripals' situation as "de-facto deprivation of liberty", claiming that several diplomatic and human rights conventions were violated.On 12 September 2018, Putin, while answering questions at the plenary meeting of the 4th On 14 September, Lavrov stated: "Our proposal of putting into operation existing mechanisms between London and Moscow on the legal assistance in criminal cases is still in force. Three days later, Russia expelled an equal number of British diplomats and ordered closure of the UK consulate in St. Petersburg and closure of the British Council in Russia.Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and the European Union itself have not expelled any Russian diplomats but have recalled their ambassadors from Russia for consultations.Some of the emergency vehicles used in the response to the poisoning have been buried in a On 16 September, fears of Novichok contamination flared up again after two people fell ill at a As of 17 October 2018, a total of £7.5 million had been pledged by government in support of the city and to support businesses, boost tourism and to cover unexpected costs. Children seriously injured after car crash involving police officer in Phoenix Bellingcat. Either this was a direct act by the Russian State against our country. The Skripals were sickened by Novichok, a Soviet-made nerve agent. UK spy poisoning: Russian military doctor ID'd, report says.