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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Russia spy poisoning: 23 UK diplomats expelled from Moscow | Russia spy poisoning: 23 UK diplomats expelled from Moscow |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russia is to expel 23 British diplomats amid tensions over the nerve agent attack on a former spy and his daughter in the UK. | Russia is to expel 23 British diplomats amid tensions over the nerve agent attack on a former spy and his daughter in the UK. |
| The Russian foreign ministry said staff from the UK's Moscow embassy would be expelled within a week. | The Russian foreign ministry said staff from the UK's Moscow embassy would be expelled within a week. |
| It also said it would close the British Council in Russia, which promotes cultural ties between the nations, and the British Consulate in St Petersburg. | It also said it would close the British Council in Russia, which promotes cultural ties between the nations, and the British Consulate in St Petersburg. |
| The move comes in response to Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats. | The move comes in response to Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats. |
| They were ordered to leave over the incident on 4 March which the UK government has blamed on Russia - but which Russia denies. | They were ordered to leave over the incident on 4 March which the UK government has blamed on Russia - but which Russia denies. |
| Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, remain critically ill in hospital, after they were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire. | Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, remain critically ill in hospital, after they were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire. |
| The UK government says they were poisoned with a nerve agent of a type developed by Russia called Novichok, and PM Theresa May has said she believes Moscow is "culpable". | The UK government says they were poisoned with a nerve agent of a type developed by Russia called Novichok, and PM Theresa May has said she believes Moscow is "culpable". |
| On Friday, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was "overwhelmingly likely" that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the nerve agent attack. | On Friday, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was "overwhelmingly likely" that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the nerve agent attack. |
| Britain's ambassador to Russia, Laurie Bristow, was summoned to Russia's foreign ministry on Saturday and was handed Russia's response to the UK's sanctions. | Britain's ambassador to Russia, Laurie Bristow, was summoned to Russia's foreign ministry on Saturday and was handed Russia's response to the UK's sanctions. |
| Analysis | |
| By Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow correspondent | |
| The British ambassador had been expecting this call for three days. | |
| In the end, he spent just over 10 minutes in the foreign ministry where he was handed Russia's counter-sanctions. | |
| The response from Moscow is robust and does go further than the UK measures. But it doesn't appear calculated to escalate tensions. | |
| The ministry has stuck to 23 for 23 in terms of diplomatic expulsions, no more. | |
| And while it is ordering the closure of the UK consulate in St Petersburg - both Moscow and Ekaterinburg remain open. | |
| Russia's response has also targeted the British Council, which promotes cultural ties. | |
| That will be seen by Britain as a low blow, hurting the Russian people - not the British government. But the UK is unlikely to want to retaliate in kind. | |
| The council's activity here had already been significantly curtailed by Moscow after the last crisis in relations, when Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned. | |
| Meanwhile, the double tactic of denial and distraction here continues, both in comments by officials, and in the mocking, dismissive coverage of the Skripal case on state-run media. | |
| The foreign ministry, in a statement, said that the British diplomats would be "declared persona non grata", adding that it "reserves the right to introduce other retaliatory measures in case of further unfriendly actions". | The foreign ministry, in a statement, said that the British diplomats would be "declared persona non grata", adding that it "reserves the right to introduce other retaliatory measures in case of further unfriendly actions". |
| Mr Bristow, after leaving the meeting, said that the UK had no quarrel with the Russian people and would "always do what is necessary to defend ourselves". | Mr Bristow, after leaving the meeting, said that the UK had no quarrel with the Russian people and would "always do what is necessary to defend ourselves". |