UK Spy Attack: Theresa May Says Russia Behind Attack, U.S. Backs Her

In a series of developments, the blame for the poisoning of former Russia mole Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia has come to be laid at Russia’s door as UK Prime Minister Theresa May told Parliament that it was "highly likely" Moscow was responsible for the Salisbury attack. May in a speech to Parliament also announced that the government was giving Moscow 24 hours to provide evidence against its involvement.

The British government’s conclusion come after the chemical used in the attack was identified as one of a group of nerve agents known as Novichok which means "newcomer" in Russian, and applies to a group of advanced nerve agents developed in secret by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s. One chemical - called A-230 - is reportedly five to eight times more toxic than VX nerve agent, which can kill a person within minutes. One variant was reportedly approved for use by the Russian military and its existence in Russia’s repertoire of chemical weapons has been revealed by defectors.

The British prime minister explained to MPs in the parliament that the positive identification of this chemical agent was made by experts at the UK's Porton Down laboratory “This attempted murder using a weapons-grade nerve agent in a British town was not just a crime against the Skripals. It was an indiscriminate and reckless act against the United Kingdom, putting the lives of innocent civilians at risk," she added.

The decision to point the finger at Moscow was also based on "Russia's record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations and our assessment that Russia views some defectors as legitimate targets for assassinations", the PM said. She said Russia has previously produced the agent and would still be capable of doing so.

Russia meanwhile has denied involvement since the day of the attack on Skripal. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Theresa May's statement was "a circus show in the British parliament". "The conclusion is obvious - it's another information and political campaign based on provocation," she said.

Earlier, asked whether Russia was to blame, President Vladimir Putin told the BBC: "Get to the bottom of things there, then we'll discuss this."

However, Theresa May is being backed by its ally United States. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. agreed with the UK that Russia was likely to be behind the attack. "We agree that those responsible - both those who committed the crime and those who ordered it - must face appropriately serious consequences…We stand in solidarity with our allies in the United Kingdom and will continue to coordinate closely our responses," he added.

He continued, "There is never a justification for this type of attack -- the attempted murder of a private citizen on the soil of a sovereign nation -- and we are outraged that Russia appears to have again engaged in such behavior. From Ukraine to Syria -- and now the UK -- Russia continues to be an irresponsible force of instability in the world, acting with open disregard for the sovereignty of other states and the life of their citizens."

The State Department's position on the attack appears to be much stronger than the White House's response. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders called the attack "reckless, indiscriminate and irresponsible," but stopped short of blaming Russia.

The Russian government’s stand for now is absolute deniability while simultaneously condemning ‘western hysteria’ and saying these actions are aimed at jeopardizing the Football World Cup to be held later this year in the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 13, 2018 08:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).