Sergei Skripal attack: UK issues ultimatum to Russia of consequences if it doesn't clarify on spy poisoning

London: Britain issued an ultimatum to Russia regarding the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Russia will have to face consequences if it does not give a proper explanation to Britain till Tuesday midnight, warned Prime Minister Theresa May. Attacks on innocent people will not be tolerated on the British soil, said May and gave clear indications of a possible stern action against Russia in the British Parliament.

It is evident that Skripal and his daughter have been poisoned with a military grade nerve agent. Novichok was the agent used in the poisoning. This deadly chemical constituent has been tested and confirmed in British laboratories. Russia had produced this constituent in the past and it is capable of doing so even today. Britain is aware that Russia considers all those who have absconded from their country as targets. At the same time, May alleged that Russia alone can be responsible for the killings of Sergei and Yulia Skripal by stating, ‘There is past evidence of many such killings being carried out by the Russian government’.

The British Prime Minister also claimed in her statement that the Russian Government may have directly ordered the killings or that this deadly substance might have fallen into the wrong hands due to improper control over the material. Prime Minister May drew attention to the irresponsible and aggressive Russian activities after this, when she mentioned taking over ‘Crimea’, violation of the European air space by the Russian fighter jets, cyberattacks and nuclear tests.

Prime Minister May endorsed the British government’s actions following the killing of another former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in Britain twelve years ago. Prime Minister May said that Russia had been given a period of 24 hours to respond after which the British government would discuss the Russian response on Wednesday. The British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson clarified that the Russian Ambassador had been made aware of this through a summons.

‘If Russia is unable to give a satisfactory explanation to Britain, then the attack on Skripal would be considered as an illegal use of force against Britain and the decision for sterner action will be taken against it’, this was the strict warning issued by Prime Minister May. The use of the weapon of a military grade nerve agent in a British city is not only an attack on Skripal but is an arbitrary and careless act of endangering the lives of innocent British population. Britain will never tolerate such open killings of its innocent citizens, said Prime Minister May and sternly reprimanded Russia.

The British analysts, diplomatic officers and scholars have advised that there are various options open before the British government to act against Russia. These include actions like expulsion of the Russian diplomats, new sanctions, boycott of the international competition in Russia and a joint submission against Russia at the international level.