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Spy poisoning: Russia says UK is 'playing with fire' Spy poisoning: Russia says UK is 'playing with fire'
(35 minutes later)
Russia has accused the UK of inventing a "fake story" and "playing with fire" over the Salisbury spy poisoning.Russia has accused the UK of inventing a "fake story" and "playing with fire" over the Salisbury spy poisoning.
Moscow's UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya told a meeting of the UN Security Council: "We have told our British colleagues that you are playing with fire and you will be sorry." Moscow's UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzia told a meeting of the UN Security Council: "We have told our British colleagues that you are playing with fire and you will be sorry."
The UK claims Russia is behind the attack. Russia denies responsibility. The UK claims Russia is behind the attack. Moscow denies responsibility.
Britain's UN representative Karen Pierce accused Russia of undermining global security.
She likened Russia's requests to take part in the investigation to an arsonist investigating his own fire.
Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious in Salisbury on 4 March.Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious in Salisbury on 4 March.
Ms Skripal, 33, is recovering in hospital and has released a statement saying her "strength is growing daily".Ms Skripal, 33, is recovering in hospital and has released a statement saying her "strength is growing daily".
Her father, 66, remains critically ill but stable.Her father, 66, remains critically ill but stable.
'Propaganda war''Propaganda war'
Moscow called the special meeting of the Security Council in New York to discuss the attack, saying Britain had "legitimate questions" to answer.Moscow called the special meeting of the Security Council in New York to discuss the attack, saying Britain had "legitimate questions" to answer.
Mr Nebenzya called the accusations "horrific and unsubstantiated" and accused the UK of waging a "propaganda war" against Russia. Mr Nebenzia said the accusations were "horrific and unsubstantiated", and claimed the UK was waging a "propaganda war" against Russia.
He said Novichok - the group of nerve agent used in the poisoning - is "not copyrighted by Russia, in spite of the obviously Russian name" and has been developed in many countries.He said Novichok - the group of nerve agent used in the poisoning - is "not copyrighted by Russia, in spite of the obviously Russian name" and has been developed in many countries.
He criticised the UK's intelligence services and, responding to reports that Russia had tested the chemical on everyday objects prior to the attack, said: "It's some sort of theatre of the absurd." "It's some sort of theatre of the absurd. Couldn't you come up with a better fake story?" he asked.
"Couldn't you come up with a better fake story?" he asked. In his statement to the 15-member council, Mr Nebenzia questioned why Russia would eliminate someone using a "dangerous and highly public" method.
"We all know what the worth of British intelligence information is based on the experience of Tony Blair," he said, referring to the findings of the Chilcot Report that the former UK prime minister's invasion of Iraq in 2003 was based on "flawed" intelligence. He compared the use of a chemical with the "hundreds of clever ways of killing someone" shown in British series Midsomer Murders.
Responding, the British Ambassador to the UN, Karen Pierce, accused Russia of seeking to "undermine the international institutions that have kept us safe since the Second World War",
She said Russia came under suspicion for several reasons, saying it had "a record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations" and that it "views defectors as suitable targets for assassination".
Ms Pierce told delegates that Russia's request to visit Ms Skripal had been passed on and "we await her response".
"Ms Skripal's own wishes need to be taken into account," Ms Pierce added.
Meanwhile, US representative Kelley Currie said Russia was attempting to use the Security Council "for political gains", adding: "This is not a tactic that is appropriate for this body."
It comes amid an escalating diplomatic crisis between Moscow and the West as 60 expelled US envoys left Russia on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Russia proposed a joint investigation into the poisoning but the idea was voted down by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.