UK threatens sanctions, World Cup boycott over Russian double agent's mysterious illness

  • 6 years ago
Now for a look at stories making headlines around the world and we start in Britain.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has issued a warning to Russia after the mysterious collapse of a former Russian spy and his daughter in southern England.
For more on this and other international news we turn to Ro Aram…
Aram…. this former spy and his daughter remain critically ill in hospital…. Is the Kremlin responsible?

Well Semin… Britain seems to be convinced Moscow is behind the apparent poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
They were both found on a bench outside a shopping center in Salisbury on Sunday.
Skripal is a former double agent convicted in 2006 of passing the identities of Russian agents in Europe to MI6.
Foreign Secretary Johnson's suspicion towards Moscow comes from the fact that it echoes the murder of another Russian ex-spy, Alexander Litvinenko, in 2006.
A British inquiry concluded that President Putin may have approved the poisoning of Litvinenko - a ruling Moscow described as a "politicized farce."
Speaking to parliament on Tuesday, Johnson issued a stark warning and even threatened to pull England out of this year's World Cup if Russia is found guilty of an attempt at Skripal's life.

"And while it would be wrong to prejudge the investigation, I can reassure the house that should evidence emerge that implies state responsibility then Her Majesty's Government will respond appropriately and robustly."

Reuters - Edit No2193
"……. I'm thinking ahead to the (Soccer) World Cup this July, this summer - I think it would be very difficult to imagine that UK representation at that event could go ahead in the normal way"

Russia was quick to deny involvement and Moscow's foreign ministry said Johnson's comments were "wild."
The country's embassy in London said the incident was being used to demonize Russia and it was seriously concerned by how British media were reporting the incident.
Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation, though they said they believe there's no risk to the public.

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