The ministry also handed a note of protest to the UK envoy over London’s “provocative actions.” The tit-for-tat measures by Moscow come amid a whirlwind campaign launched by London over the poisoning of Russian ex-double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury earlier in March.
Top UK officials, including Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, promptly pinned the blame on Moscow, claiming that a military-grade nerve agent called A-234 (also known as ‘Novichok’) was used in the incident.
Judging by what London has offered as proof so far, the allegations are merely an assumption, according to the Russian side, which has denied any involvement. UK law enforcement officials say that the probe is still ongoing and officers are likely to continue work in Salisbury “for several weeks and months.”
On Friday, the ministry summoned the heads of diplomatic missions from countries that had either already expelled or decided to expel Russian diplomats “in solidarity” with the UK over the Skripal case. All of them were handed notes of protest.
Among those summoned was UK envoy to Russia Laurie Bristow. He was told that within one month, the British side must cut its diplomatic staff in the embassy and its consulates across Russia to the same size as the Russian diplomatic mission in the UK.
RT
