BRITAIN TO ANNOUNCE ACTION AGAINST RUSSIA OVER SPY POISONING

Britain set to announce action against Russia over spy poisoning

British Prime Minister Theresa May was expected to announce retaliatory action against Russia on Wednesday after Moscow rejected her “unfounded accusations” over the poisoning of a Russian former double agent on UK soil.  British experts say they were poisoned with military-grade nerve agent from a broad category known as Novichok, developed by the Soviet Union during the late stages of the Cold War.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated rapidly in the 10 days since ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were attacked with a nerve agent in sleepy Salisbury, southwest England.

The British premier said on Monday it was “highly likely” that Russia was behind the attack, either directly or because Moscow had “lost control” of the nerve agent, demanding answers by the end of Tuesday and threatening a “full range” of measures.

But Russia defied the deadline and President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman on Wednesday rejected Britain’s “unfounded accusations that are not based on evidence, and a language of ultimatums”.

“We are hoping that common sense will prevail,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

May is due to address parliament in the early afternoon after holding a meeting with her National Security Council to discuss the government’s next move.

As Britain prepares its response, Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, remain in critical condition in hospital.

Imposing a boycott by British officials and royals of this summer’s World Cup in Russia, while allowing the England team to play, is another possible response.

The first sign of action came from British communications regulator Ofcom, which said it could review the licence of the Kremlin-backed RT broadcaster if Russian involvement in the poisoning is proven.

Russia, in turn, threatened to ban all British media if RT loses its licence.

In a further twist, former senior Russian executive Nikolai Glushkov, linked to late Kremlin opponent Boris Berezovsky, was found dead in London on Tuesday in unexplained circumstances, British and Russian media reported.

Counter-terrorism police are investigating the case.