24 hours to tell the truth: May issues Putin ultimatum in poisoned Russian spy showdown
THERESA May yesterday demanded Russia explain a nerve agent attack on British soil by midnight tonight or stand accused of “unlawful” aggression.
By MACER HALL AND JOHN INGHAM
Express.co.uk
Tue, Mar 13, 2018
The Prime Minister told MPs that evidence overwhelmingly pointed towards the Kremlin’s involvement in the “brazen” poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
Russia will stand accused of “an unlawful use of force” against Britain if President Vladimir Putin’s officials are unable to prove his agents were not culpable for the deployment of one of the most deadly “military grade” nerve agents ever developed, she said.
Mr Skripal, 66, and Yulia, 33, remain in a critical condition in hospital after coming into contact with Novichok – one of the most dangerous chemicals known to man.
The pair were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury town centre on Sunday, March 4.
Det Sgt Nick Bailey, who went to their aid, remains in a serious but stable condition.
In the Commons yesterday, former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith vowed to back the Prime Minister to take “the most severe action as is required” against Moscow.
He added: “This country, Russia, is now as close to being a rogue state as any. It occupies Crimea, it has helped occupy eastern Ukraine, it has created hell on earth in Syria and is even now overseeing worse action.”
Mrs May described the attack as “an indiscriminate and reckless act against the UK, putting the lives of innocent civilians at risk”.
She promised to take a “full range of appropriate responses against those who would act against our country in this way”.
She added: “We will not tolerate such a brazen attempt to murder innocent civilians on our soil.”
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